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DISCONTINUED

2006-08-15T15:17:00.000Z

This blog discontinued August 15, 2006 at 2600 posts for space and satellite news.

For space and satellite news, events, and articles:

www.spacedaily.com

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http://www.janes.com/

http://www.nearearthllc.com/analysis/presentation.asp

www.SATELLITE2007.com

http://news.google.com/nwshp?tab=wn&q=satellite&ie=UTF-8

or search this blog for links to other space and satellite news.

US Teachers Use Satellite Data in Science Class

2006-08-15T15:14:00.000Z

US Teachers Use Satellite Data in Science Class
Voice of America -
Satellites have revolutionized global communications. Teachers say satellites are also changing scientific education, introducing students to pictures and research data transmitted from space.
US Teachers Use Satellite Data in Science Class Elites TV
all 4 related »

US Teachers Use Satellite Data in Science Class
By Mike O'Sullivan Los Angeles 14 August 2006

Listen to O'Sullivan report

Satellites have revolutionized global communications. Teachers say satellites are also changing scientific education, introducing students to pictures and research data transmitted from space. Scientists and teachers attended a recent conference of the Satellite Educators Association in Los Angeles.

Paula Arvedson

Hundreds of satellites constantly send back images of earth and its weather systems, and educator Paula Arvedson says teachers are using the data to get their students involved in real-world science. Arvedson is associate professor of education at California State University, Los Angeles, which hosted the annual conference of satellite educators.

"We study oceans, we study currents, we study ocean temperature, also weather," she said. "We look at agriculture, crop health."

One student project is looking at marine life in nearby Santa Monica, using data from satellites.

John Moore

John Moore, the association's incoming president, teaches high school science in Medford, New Jersey. He says the satellite educators association was set up to introduce teachers and students to the Earth as seen from space. In 1988, when the organization was founded, teachers built satellite receivers to get data from government agencies, including the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, and the space agency NASA. He says by the 1990s, the Internet made that data more accessible.

"And so all this information, of course, is now available to anyone free over the Internet," he said.

Fourteen-year-old Monique, a student from Orange County, California, has worked on various projects.

"Birds and migrations, and how the satellites track them," she said. "And two years before that, because of Hurricane Charlie, hurricanes and their effects and how satellites can be used to dissect them. And this year, I think we're going to be talking about the atmosphere and about the ocean and the temperatures."

Duane Laursen

Retired California teacher Duane Laursen has downloaded many types of data from US and Russian you can do with looking at photosynthesis," he said. "You can look at landforms in Earth science, earthquake faults. It just goes on and on, and it's unlimited just how creative you can be with this idea."

Bob Wanton of the National Weather Service sees widespread interest in global warming and hurricanes, and says many student projects blend real-world observation with satellite information. He says the projects get students into science early.

Bob Wanton

"We get them involved with going out, taking weather observations, looking at the computer models, and forecasting themselves or at least trying to forecast themselves," he said. "It piques their interest. It gets them involved. Whether they go into weather or not, at least they're seeing what's out there. They're getting into some kind of science, and it's making their mind work."

The satellite projects have applications beyond Earth-bound weather forecasts. One student group is studying pictures of Mars, another is looking at images of Saturn's rings and moons sent back by NASA spacecraft, and a third is studying turbulence on the sun's surface, in images relayed to the classroom by satellite.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-08-14-voa43.cfm

Satellite News

2006-08-15T01:00:00.000Z

Playfuls.com

New Asia-Pacific satellite in orbit
Bizjournals.com, NC -
A new satellite, launched Friday night, is being positioned to transmit signals to satellite dishes from Japan and East Asia to Hawaii.
Japanese and French satellites go into orbit MSNBC
Ariane 5 ECA orbits JCSAT-10 and Syracuse 3B Playfuls.com
Ariane-5 rocket sends Japan and French satellites into orbit GameSHOUT
Technology News Daily - NASASpaceflight.com - all 17 related »

Greenland's ice loss is accelerating, satellite studies suggest
USA Today -
Greenland is shedding ice at an increasing rate, about three times faster than past years, satellite measurements suggest. The findings, based on more than three years of observations, echo data released earlier this year.
Sea may be rising faster than previously thought Boston Globe
all 7 related »

Technology News Daily

Scientists critique satellite protection
Monsters and Critics.com, UK - 4 hours ago
A proposed US system to protect satellites from solar storms or high-altitude nuclear detonations might cause radio communication blackouts.
US satellite plan 'will knock out Pacific radio links' New Zealand Herald
US satellite protection scheme could affect global communications EurekAlert (press release)
all 17 related »

Taiwan satellite starts transmitting weather data
Taiwan Headlines, Taiwan -
Taiwan's recently launched sounding satellite, FORMASAT-3, has begun sending weather data, as the first micro-satellite of the constellation settled in its designated orbital plane, a senior official of the FORMOSAT-3 Program Office said on Sunday.
FORMOSAT-3 commences sending weather updates Taipei Times
all 2 related »

Satellite solar touches down
NEWS.com.au, Australia -
SOLAR technology developed to power satellites in space will be adapted to Australia's sun-drenched lands in a $10 million deal signed today.

Gilat Satellite Turns To Profit In Q2 As Revenues Rise - Update
Trading Markets, CA -
(RTTNews) - Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (GILT | charts | news | PowerRating), a provider of products and services for satellite-based communications networks, on Monday announced its second quarter financial ...
Directed Electronics Reports Record Second Quarter 2006 Results ... Yahoo! News (press release)
Gilat Announces Second Quarter 2006 Results Business Wire (press release)
all 29 related »

Gilat Satellite Swings To Profit In Q2 On Higher Revenues - Quick ...
Trading Markets, CA
(RTTNews) - Gilat Satellite Networks (GILT | charts | news | PowerRating) posted second quarter non-GAAP net income of $3.1 million or $0.12 per share, compared to a loss of $1.1 million or $0.05 per share in the prior year quarter.

US satellite protection scheme poses global communications threat
innovations report, Germany - 15 hours ago
A proposed US system to protect satellites from solar storms or high-altitude nuclear detonations would cause worldwide radio communications blackouts, according to new research by a group of scientists from New Zealand, Finland and the UK.

August 14, 2006 08:01 AM US Eastern Timezone

Intelsat Reports Second Quarter 2006 Results; Revenue Increases on Solid Performance of Lease Services and Managed Solutions; Cost Reduction Efforts Yield Improved Margins; PanAmSat Integration on Schedule

PEMBROKE, Bermuda--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 14, 2006--Intelsat, Ltd., the world's largest provider of fixed satellite services, today reported results for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2006.

Results for both periods include Intelsat, Ltd. and its subsidiaries, referred to as Intelsat or the company. Results do not reflect our July 3, 2006 acquisition of PanAmSat Holding Corporation, which we renamed Intelsat Holding Corporation.

Intelsat, Ltd., reported revenue of $310.5 million and a net loss of $42.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2006.

The company also reported EBITDA, or Intelsat, Ltd. earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation and amortization, for the quarter of $221.6 million, or 71 percent of revenue, and the company also reported Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA(1) for the same period of $241.0 million, or 78 percent of revenue(2). Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA less the benefit of a one-time channel termination fee of $20.6 million recognized in the second quarter was $220.4 million, or 76 percent of revenue.

For the six months ended June 30, 2006, Intelsat reported revenue of $591.0 million, a net loss of $132.8 million, and EBITDA of $401.7 million, or 68 percent of revenue. Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA for the six month period was $447.7 million, or 76 percent of revenue. Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA less the benefit of the one-time channel termination fee of $20.6 million described above was $427.1 million, or 75 percent of revenue.

Intelsat generated strong free cash flow from operations of $123.5 million through the second quarter of 2006. Free cash flow from operations is defined as net cash provided by operating activities, less payments for satellites and other property, plant and equipment and associated capitalized interest.

"The second quarter featured solid performance at Intelsat and concluded with the closing of the PanAmSat transaction, a deal that has created the new global leader in satellite-based communications services," said Intelsat Chief Executive Officer, Dave McGlade. "Intelsat's core lease services and GlobalConnex(SM) managed solutions, up 8 percent and 26 percent respectively as compared to the year-ago quarter, continued to lead our business performance, driven by demand for corporate data and Voice Over IP applications. With the benefits of our controls over operating expense now demonstrated by the expansion in our margins, we are ready to enhance our global operations through continuing to execute a disciplined integration of PanAmSat."

"The integration is on track and proceeding as planned," McGlade added. "By making key integration decisions early on, we have been able to focus as one company on customers and the marketplace. Recent orders such as Intelsat General's contract in support of the German Military Satellite program validate that effort and position us to create 2007 revenue momentum."

Integration Process Highlights

Intelsat's integration process includes four primary thrusts: sales and marketing, staffing, operations and facilities. The sales and marketing organizations were integrated shortly after closing, with near term objectives that include network optimization in order to increase marketable capacity. Staffing decisions are largely complete. Intelsat expects total headcount to reduce from approximately 1,350 at deal close to a steady-state headcount of approximately 1,000 by mid-year 2008. Most facility closures and integration of back office functions are expected to be completed by mid-2007. Intelsat expects to conclude much of the satellite fleet and operations center integration in 2007, with the process fully complete by the end of 2008.

Intelsat expects to realize approximately $92 million in annualized operating cost savings by the end of 2008. In order to achieve these expected savings, Intelsat believes it will incur approximately $180 million in one time expenditures, approximately half of which are expected to be incurred in the second half of 2006 and substantially all of the balance in 2007. Integration expenses include approximately $40 million to $45 million in capital expenditures.

Financial Results for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2006

Total revenue increased $20.7 million, or 7 percent, for the three months ended June 30, 2006 from $289.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2005, driven by strong results from lease, channel, and managed solutions service offerings. Lease services revenue increased $13.9 million, or 8 percent, to $196.9 million as compared to $183.0 million in the same period in 2005, primarily due to increased demand from Network Services and Telecom customers in North America, Africa, and the Middle East. Channel revenue increased $9.5 million to $66.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2006 from $57.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2005. The increase was primarily attributable to the previously mentioned one-time fee of $20.6 million, offset by the continuing decline in legacy channel services revenue. Mobile Satellite Services, or MSS, and other revenue declined by $9.9 million, or 45 percent, to $12.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2006, as compared to $21.9 million in the prior-year period, primarily due to reduced usage of mobile satellite services sold to customers of Intelsat General. These declines were partially offset by increases in managed solutions revenue, which increased by $7.2 million, or 26 percent, to $34.9 million from $27.7 million in the year-ago period, driven primarily by increased demand for trunking and private line solutions for Network Services and Telecom customers.

Total operating expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2006 declined $7.1 million to $231.8 million, from $238.9 million in the same period in 2005. Depreciation and amortization expense increased $4.8 million, or 3 percent, to $148.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2006 from $143.8 million for the same period in 2005, primarily due to the accelerated depreciation of certain retiring non-satellite assets. Direct cost of revenue declined by $13.9 million, or 23 percent, to $46.1 million for the period from $60.0 million for the same period in 2005, primarily due to the reduction in third party capacity costs related to the decline in MSS and lease service sales to customers of Intelsat General and lower insurance costs. Selling, general and administrative expense for the second quarter of 2006 was $37.1 million, an increase of $2.0 million from $35.1 million in the three months ended June 30, 2005, due primarily to lower bad debt expense for the period in 2005.

Net loss of $42.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2006 reflected a decrease of $10.7 million from $53.4 million of net loss for the three months ended June 30, 2005. The net loss decrease resulted primarily from the higher revenues and lower costs described above, offset somewhat by higher interest expense. Interest expense increased $8.9 million to $108.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2006, from $99.5 million for the same period in 2005. Current period interest expense included $14.9 million in non-cash expenses associated with the amortization and accretion of discounts recorded on existing debt.

EBITDA of $221.6 million, or 71 percent of revenue, for the three months ended June 30, 2006 reflected an increase of $27.1 million, or 14 percent, from $194.5 million, or 67 percent of revenue, for the same period in 2005. This increase was primarily due to the higher revenues and lower costs described above. Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA increased $33.8 million to $241.0 million, or 78 percent of revenue, for the three months ended June 30, 2006 from $207.2 million, or 71 percent of revenue, for the same period in 2005. Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA less the benefit of the one-time channel termination fee was $220.4 million, or 76 percent of revenue.

Financial Results for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2006

On January 28, 2005, Intelsat, Ltd. was acquired by Intelsat Holdings, Ltd. (the "Acquisition"). For comparative purposes, when we refer in this news release to our results for the six months ended June 30, 2005, we are referring to our combined results for the period from January 1, 2005 through January 31, 2005 and for the period (post-Acquisition) from February 1, 2005 through June 30, 2005.

Total revenue increased $8.0 million, or 1 percent, to $591.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2006 from $583.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2005, driven by increases in sales of lease and managed solutions service offerings. Lease services increased $14.6 million, or 4 percent, to $386.7 million as compared to $372.1 million in the same period in 2005, due to increased demand from Network Services and Telecom customers in Africa, the Middle East and North America. Channel revenue decreased $2.2 million to $115.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2006 from $117.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2005 due to the continuing decline in the use of legacy channel services. MSS and other revenue declined by $17.2 million to $22.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2006, as compared to $39.9 million in the prior-year period, primarily due to reduced usage of mobile satellite services sold to customers of Intelsat General. These declines were partially offset by increases in managed solutions revenue, which increased by $12.8 million to $66.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2006 from $53.4 million for the year-ago period, driven by increased demand for trunking and private line solutions for Network Services and Telecom customers.

Total operating expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2006 declined $114.9 million to $481.4 million, from $596.3 million for the same period in 2005, which included a $69.2 million satellite impairment charge due to the failure of our IS-804 satellite in January 2005. Depreciation and amortization expense increased $24.2 million, or 9 percent, to $303.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2006 from $279.0 million for the same period in 2005, primarily due to purchase accounting treatment following the Acquisition and accelerated depreciation for retiring non-satellite assets, as well as to our IA-8 satellite, which entered service in July 2005. Direct costs of revenue declined by $29.6 million, or 23 percent, to $101.2 million for the first half of 2006 from $130.8 million for the same period in 2005, primarily due to the reduction in third party capacity costs related to the decline in MSS and lease service sales to customers of Intelsat General. Selling, general and administrative expense for the first half of 2006 was $77.0 million, a decline of $40.0 million from $117.0 million in the six months ended June 30, 2005. The decrease was due primarily to lower professional fees of $40.8 million as compared to the first six months of 2005, incurred mainly in connection with the Acquisition, offset by recovery of previously written-off bad debts of $7.3 million in 2005.

Net loss of $132.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2006 reflected a decrease of $72.3 million from $205.1 million of net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2005. This decrease was primarily due to the IS-804 impairment charge and professional fees associated with the Acquisition that were incurred in 2005, and the higher revenues and lower costs in 2006 described above.

EBITDA of $401.7 million, or 68 percent of revenue, for the six months ended June 30, 2006 reflected an increase of $135.8 million from $265.9 million, or 46 percent of revenue, for the same period in 2005. This increase was primarily due to the IS-804 impairment charge and fees associated with the Acquisition incurred in 2005, and higher revenues and lower costs in 2006 described above. Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA increased $32.0 million to $447.7 million, or 76 percent of revenue, for the six months ended June 30, 2006 from $415.7 million, or 71 percent of revenue, for the same period in 2005. Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA less the benefit of the one-time channel termination fee of $20.6 million was $427.1 million, or 75 percent of revenue.

At June 30, 2006, Intelsat's backlog, representing expected future revenue under contracts with customers, was $3.74 billion. At March 31, 2006, Intelsat's backlog was $3.80 billion.

Intelsat management has reviewed the data pertaining to the use of the Intelsat system and is providing revenue information with respect to that use by service category and customer set in the following tables. Intelsat management believes this provides a useful perspective on the changes in revenue and customer trends over time.

      Revenue Percentage Contribution Comparison by Customer Set
                        and Service Category

By Customer Set
------------------------------
                              Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
                                   June 30,            June 30,
                                2005      2006      2005      2006
                              ---------------------------------------

Network Services and Telecom         61%       66%       61%       66%
Government                           22%       17%       22%       17%
Media                                17%       17%       17%       17%



By Service Category
------------------------------
                              Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
                                   June 30,            June 30,
                                2005      2006      2005      2006
                              ---------------------------------------

Lease                                63%       64%       64%       65%
Channel                              20%       21%       20%       20%
Managed Solutions                     9%       11%        9%       11%
Mobile Satellite Services             8%        4%        7%        4%

Conference Call Information

Intelsat management will host a conference call with investors and analysts at 11:00 a.m. EDT on August 14, 2006 to discuss the company's financial results for the second quarter of 2006. Access to the live conference call will also be available via the Internet at the Intelsat web site: www.intelsat.com/investors.

To participate on the live call, United States-based participants should call (800) 591-6945. Non-U.S. participants should call +1 (617) 614-4911. The participant pass code is 96833580. Participants will have access to a replay of the conference call through August 21, 2006. The replay number for U.S.-based participants is (888) 286-8010 and for non-U.S. participants is +1 (617) 801-6888. The participant pass code is 85800450.

(1) Intelsat Subsidiary Holding Company, Ltd., or Intelsat Sub Holdco,
   and its subsidiaries are the entities that conduct Intelsat's
   operations.

(2) In this release, financial measures are presented both in
   accordance with United States generally accepted accounting
   principles ("GAAP") and also on a non-GAAP basis. All EBITDA,
   EBITDA margin, Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA, Sub Holdco Adjusted
   EBITDA margin and free cash flow from operations figures in this
   release are non-GAAP financial measures. Please see the
   consolidated financial statements below for information
   reconciling non-GAAP financial measures to comparable GAAP
   financial measures. Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA is a term based on
   consolidated EBITDA, as defined in Intelsat Sub Holdco's credit
   agreement dated July 3, 2006 (the "Credit Agreement"). Please see
   the reconciliation of Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA to EBITDA
   provided with the consolidated financial statements below.

About the New Intelsat

Intelsat is the largest provider of fixed satellite services (FSS) worldwide and is the leading provider of these services to each of the media, network services and telecom and government customer sectors, enabling people and businesses everywhere constant access to information and entertainment. Intelsat offers customers a greater business potential by providing them access to unrivaled resources with ease of business and peace of mind. Our services are utilized by an extensive customer base, including some of the world's leading media and communications companies, multinational corporations, Internet service providers and government/military organizations. Real-time, constant communication with people anywhere in the world is closer, by far.

Intelsat Safe Harbor Statement: Some of the statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" that do not directly or exclusively relate to historical facts. The forward-looking statements made in this release reflect Intelsat's intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about future events and are subject to risks, including known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of Intelsat's control. Important factors that could cause actual results to, differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include known and unknown risks. Known risks include, but are not limited to insufficient market demand for the services offered by Intelsat; inadequate supply of Intelsat capacity; the quality and price of comparable communications services offered or to be offered by other satellite operators; Intelsat's access to sufficient capital to meet its operating and financing needs; and the perceptions of our business, operations and financial condition and the industry in which we operate by the financial community and ratings agencies. In connection with Intelsat's acquisition of PanAmSat as described in this news release, factors that may cause results or developments to differ materially from the forward-looking statements made in this news release include, but are not limited to: our substantial level of indebtedness following consummation of the acquisition; certain covenants in our debt agreements following consummation of the acquisition; the ability of our subsidiaries to make distributions to us in amounts sufficient to make required interest and principal payments on our debt; a change in the health of, or a catastrophic loss of, one or more of our satellites, including those acquired in the acquisition; the failure to successfully integrate or to obtain expected synergies from the acquisition on the expected timetable or at all; and the failure to achieve the strategic objectives envisioned for the acquisition of PanAmSat. Detailed information about some of the known risks is included in Intelsat's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 and Intelsat's registration statement on Form S-4 on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Because actual results could differ materially from Intelsat's intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about the future, you are urged to view all forward-looking statements contained in this news release with caution. Intelsat does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

                            INTELSAT, LTD.
           UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                          ($ in thousands)

                                Three Months Ended Three Months Ended
                                     June 30,           June 30,
                                      2005               2006
                                ------------------ ------------------

Revenue                                   $289,824           $310,534
Operating expenses:
 Direct costs of revenue                   59,997             46,084
 Selling, general and
  administrative                           35,083             37,145
 Depreciation and amortization            143,845            148,602
                                ------------------ ------------------
 Total operating expenses                 238,925            231,831
                                ------------------ ------------------
Income from operations                      50,899             78,703
Interest expense                            99,475            108,331
Interest income                              2,215              4,919
Other expense, net                            (222)            (5,731)
                                ------------------ ------------------
Loss from operations before
income taxes                              (46,583)           (30,440)
Provision for income taxes                   6,826             12,245
                                ------------------ ------------------
Net loss                                  $(53,409)          $(42,685)
                                ================== ==================



                           INTELSAT, LTD.
           UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
  AND RECONCILIATION TO COMBINED UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS
                            OF OPERATIONS
                          ($ in thousands)

                      Predecessor Successor
                         Entity      Entity    Combined
                      ----------- ----------- -----------
                        Period       Period
                      January 1,  February 1, Six Months  Six Months
                        2005 to     2005 to      Ended      Ended
                      January 31,  June 30,    June 30,    June 30,
                         2005        2005        2005        2006
                      -----------------------------------------------

Revenue                   $97,917    $485,081    $582,998    $590,980
Operating expenses:
 Direct costs of
  revenue                 26,939     103,834     130,773     101,195
 Selling, general and
  administrative          55,443      61,563     117,006      76,960
 Depreciation and
  amortization            39,184     239,798     278,982     303,206
 Impairment of asset
  value                   69,227           -      69,227           -
 Restructuring costs         263           -         263           -
                      ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
 Total operating
  expenses               191,056     405,195     596,251     481,361
                      ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Income (loss) from
operations               (93,139)     79,886     (13,253)    109,619
Interest expense           13,241     167,438     180,679     217,804
Interest income               191       3,306       3,497       8,271
Other income
(expense), net               863        (676)        187     (11,142)
                      ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Loss from operations
before income taxes     (105,326)    (84,922)   (190,248)   (111,056)
Provision for income
taxes                      4,400      10,412      14,812      21,740
                      ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Net loss                $(109,726)   $(95,334)  $(205,060)  $(132,796)
                      =========== =========== =========== ===========



                           INTELSAT, LTD.
                RECONCILIATION OF NET LOSS TO EBITDA
                             (Unaudited)
                          ($ in thousands)

                            Three Months Ended    Six Months Ended
                                 June 30,             June 30,
                              2005      2006      2005       2006
                            --------- --------- ---------- ----------

Net loss                     $(53,409) $(42,685) $(205,060) $(132,796)
Add:
 Interest expense             99,475   108,331    180,679    217,804
 Provision for income taxes    6,826    12,245     14,812     21,740
 Depreciation and
  amortization               143,845   148,602    278,982    303,206

Subtract: Interest income       2,215     4,919      3,497      8,271
                            --------- --------- ---------- ----------
   EBITDA                   $194,522  $221,574   $265,916   $401,683
                            ========= ========= ========== ==========

   EBITDA margin                  67%       71%        46%        68%

Note:

EBITDA consists of Intelsat, Ltd. earnings before interest, taxes
and depreciation and amortization. EBITDA is a measure commonly used
in the fixed satellite services sector, and Intelsat presents EBITDA
to provide further information with respect to its operating
performance. EBITDA margin is defined as EBITDA divided by total
revenues. Intelsat uses EBITDA as one criterion for evaluating its
performance relative to that of its peers. Intelsat believes that
EBITDA is an operating performance measure, and not a liquidity
measure, that provides investors and analysts with a measure of
operating results unaffected by differences in capital structures,
capital investment cycles and ages of related assets among otherwise
comparable companies. However, EBITDA is not a measure of financial
performance under GAAP, and our EBITDA may not be comparable to
similarly titled measures of other companies. You should not consider
EBITDA or EBITDA margin as an alternative to operating or net income
or operating or net income margin, determined in accordance with GAAP,
as an indicator of Intelsat's operating performance, or as an
alternative to cash flows from operating activities, determined in
accordance with GAAP, as an indicator of cash flows, or as a measure
of liquidity.



                           INTELSAT, LTD.
      RECONCILIATION OF CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS TO SUB HOLDCO
                           ADJUSTED EBITDA
                             (Unaudited)
                          ($ in thousands)

                                              Combined
                                            ------------
                  Three Months Three Months  Six Months   Six Months
                     ended        ended        ended        ended
                    June 30,     June 30,     June 30,     June 30,
                      2005         2006         2005         2006
                  ---------------------------------------------------
                       (in thousands)            (in thousands)
Reconciliation of
Intelsat, Ltd.
net cash provided
by operating
activities to
Intelsat, Ltd.
net loss:
 Net cash
  provided by
  operating
  activities         $140,712     $164,058     $246,643     $188,547
 Depreciation and
  amortization       (143,845)    (148,602)    (278,982)    (303,206)
 Satellite
  impairment
  charges                   -            -      (69,227)           -
 Provision for
  doubtful
  accounts              1,503           93        7,566          851
 Foreign currency
  transaction
  loss (gain)             487           60          366          280
 Deferred income
  taxes                   134            -       (2,241)           -
 (Gain) Loss on
  Disposal of
  Assets                    -          (11)           -          (11)
 Stock-based
  compensation              -          (29)           -         (110)
 Compensation
  cost paid by
  Parent                    -       (2,160)           -       (7,992)
 Amortization of
  bond discount
  and issuance
  costs               (16,617)     (17,624)     (26,496)     (34,713)
 Share in loss of
  affiliate            (2,289)      (7,864)      (3,920)     (14,134)
 Changes in
  assets and
  liabilities,
  net of effects
  of acquisitions     (33,494)     (30,607)     (78,769)      37,692
                  ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
Intelsat, Ltd. net
loss                 $(53,409)    $(42,686)   $(205,060)   $(132,796)
                  ============ ============ ============ ============
Add:
 Interest expense      99,475      108,331      180,679      217,804
 Provision for
  income taxes          6,827       12,245       14,812       21,740
 Depreciation and
  amortization        143,845      148,602      278,982      303,206
Subtract:
 Interest income        2,214        4,919        3,497        8,271
                  ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
Intelsat, Ltd.
EBITDA               $194,524     $221,573     $265,916     $401,683
                  ============ ============ ============ ============
Add (Subtract):
 Parent and
  intercompany
  expenses, net 
  (1)                   4,335        3,359        8,082        7,866
 Compensation and
  benefits (2)            818        1,074       11,764        2,057
 Restructuring
  costs (3)                 -            -          263            -
 Acquisition
  related
  expenses (4)          3,449        3,000       52,428        6,000
 Equity
  investment
  losses (5)            2,289        7,864        3,920       14,134
 Satellite
  impairment
  charge (6)                -            -       69,227            -
 Non-recurring
  and other non-
  cash items (7)        1,763        4,108        4,133       15,922
                  ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
Sub Holdco
Adjusted EBITDA      $207,178     $240,978     $415,733     $447,662
                  ============ ============ ============ ============
Sub Holdco
Adjusted EBITDA
margin                     71%          78%          71%          76%

Note:

Intelsat calculates a measure called Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA,
based on the term consolidated EBITDA, as defined in the Credit
Agreement of Intelsat Sub Holdco dated July 3, 2006. Sub Holdco
Adjusted EBITDA consists of EBITDA as adjusted to exclude certain
unusual items, certain other operating expense items and other
adjustments permitted in calculating covenant compliance under the
Credit Agreement as described in the table above. Sub Holdco Adjusted
EBITDA as presented above is calculated only with respect to Intelsat
Sub Holdco and its subsidiaries. Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA is a
material component of certain covenant ratios used in the Credit
Agreement that apply to Intelsat Sub Holdco and its subsidiaries, such
as the secured debt leverage ratio and total leverage ratio. Sub
Holdco Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of financial performance under
GAAP, and our Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to
similarly titled measures of other companies. You should not consider
Sub Holdco Adjusted EBITDA as an alternative to operating or net
income, determined in accordance with GAAP, as an indicator of
Intelsat's operating performance, or as an alternative to cash flows
from operating activities, determined in accordance with GAAP, as an
indicator of cash flows or as a measure of liquidity.



                           INTELSAT, LTD.
                     CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                          ($ in thousands)

                                               As of        As of
                                            December 31,   June 30,
                                               2005         2006
                                            ------------ ------------
                                                         (Unaudited)
                  ASSETS
Current assets:
 Cash and cash equivalents                     $360,070     $475,338
 Receivables, net of allowance of $26,342
  in 2005 and $23,911 in 2006                   203,452      194,499
 Deferred income taxes                           10,752       10,888
                                            ------------ ------------
   Total current assets                         574,274      680,725
 Satellites and other property and
  equipment, net                              3,327,341    3,111,226
 Amortizable intangible assets, net             493,263      474,561
 Non-amortizable intangible assets              560,000      560,000
 Goodwill                                       111,388      111,388
 Other assets                                   228,178      211,414
                                            ------------ ------------
   Total assets                              $5,294,444   $5,149,314
                                            ============ ============

  LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDER'S DEFICIT
Current liabilities:
 Current portion of long-term debt              $11,097      $16,271
 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities       332,907      318,656
 Deferred satellite performance incentives        7,418        7,391
 Deferred revenue                                30,143       25,192
                                            ------------ ------------
   Total current liabilities                    381,565      367,510

Long-term debt, net of current portion         4,790,016    4,807,555
Deferred satellite performance incentives,
net of current portion                           36,027       33,914
Deferred revenue, net of current portion         157,580      139,642
Accrued retirement benefits                      107,778      108,069
Other long-term liabilities                       27,743       23,796
                                            ------------ ------------
   Total liabilities                          5,500,709    5,480,486
                                            ------------ ------------

Shareholder's deficit:
 Ordinary shares, 12,000 shares authorized,
  issued and outstanding                             12           12
 Paid-in capital                                  9,104       17,206
 Accumulated deficit                           (215,558)    (348,354)
 Accumulated other comprehensive income
  (loss)
   Unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-
    sale securities, net of tax                     177          (36)
                                            ------------ ------------
   Total shareholder's deficit                 (206,265)    (331,172)
                                            ------------ ------------
   Total liabilities and shareholder's
    deficit                                  $5,294,444   $5,149,314
                                            ============ ============



                           INTELSAT, LTD.
           UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                          ($ in thousands)

                             Predecessor           Successor
                               Entity               Entity
                            ------------- ---------------------------
                               Period        Period      Six Months
                             January 1 to  February 1       Ended
                             January 31,   to June 30,    June 30,
                                2005          2005          2006
                            ------------- ------------- -------------
Cash flows from operating
activities:
 Net loss                      $(109,726)     $(95,334)    $(132,796)
 Adjustments to reconcile
  net loss to net cash
  provided by operating
  activities:
   Depreciation and
    amortization                  39,184       239,798       303,206
   Impairment charge for
    IS-804 satellite              69,227             -             -
   Provision for doubtful
    accounts                      (5,799)       (1,767)         (851)
   Foreign currency
    transaction (gain) loss           75          (441)         (280)
   Deferred income taxes             585         1,656             -
   Loss on disposal of
    assets                             -             -            11
   Stock compensation                  -             -           110
   Compensation cost paid
    by parent                          -             -         7,992
   Amortization of bond
    discount and issuance
    costs                            430        26,066        34,713
   Share in losses of
    affiliate                        402         3,518        14,134
   Changes in operating
    assets and liabilities,
    net of effects of
    acquisitions:
     Receivables                 (32,168)       31,513         9,804
     Other assets                  3,194        (2,811)       (3,309)
     Accounts payable and
      accrued liabilities         51,722        55,489       (17,642)
     Deferred revenue             (2,388)      (22,177)      (22,889)
     Accrued retirement
      benefits                       (27)        2,411           291
     Other long-term
      liabilities                 (3,327)       (2,662)       (3,947)
                            ------------- ------------- -------------
 Net cash provided by
  operating activities            11,384       235,259       188,547
                            ------------- ------------- -------------
Cash flows from investing
activities:
 Payments for satellites
  and other property and
  equipment                         (953)      (83,777)      (65,009)
 Proceeds from insurance
  receivable                      38,561        19,759             -
                            ------------- ------------- -------------
 Net cash provided by (used
  in) investing activities        37,608       (64,018)      (65,009)
                            ------------- ------------- -------------
Cash flows from financing
activities:
 Repayment of long-term
  debt                                 -      (201,750)       (2,625)
 Proceeds from bond
  issuance                             -       305,348             -
 Proceeds from credit
  facility borrowings                  -       200,000             -
 Principal payments on
  deferred satellite
  performance incentives            (475)       (2,008)       (2,140)
 Principal payments on
  capital lease obligations            -        (1,867)       (3,785)
 Dividends to shareholders             -      (305,913)            -
                            ------------- ------------- -------------
 Net cash used in financing
  activities                        (475)       (6,190)       (8,550)
                            ------------- ------------- -------------
   Effect of exchange rate
    changes on cash                  (75)          441           280
                            ------------- ------------- -------------
   Net change in cash and
    cash equivalents              48,442       165,492       115,268
 Cash and cash equivalents,
  beginning of period            141,320       194,682       360,070
                            ------------- ------------- -------------
 Cash and cash equivalents,
  end of period                 $189,762      $360,174      $475,338
                            ============= ============= =============

Note: The increase in cash between the predecessor entity ending
balance and the successor entity opening balance is due to the
retention by Intelsat, Ltd. of approximately $5 million in Acquisition
financing proceeds.



                           INTELSAT, LTD.
     RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES
                  TO FREE CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS
                             (Unaudited)

                              Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
                                    June 30,            June 30,
                              ---------------------------------------
                                2005      2006      2005      2006
                                (in thousands)      (in thousands)

Net cash provided by operating
activities                    $140,712  $164,058  $246,643  $188,547
Payments for satellites and
other property and equipment   (78,522)  (43,530)  (84,730)  (65,009)
                              --------- --------- --------- ---------
Free cash flow from operations  $62,190  $120,528  $111,913  $123,538
                              ========= ========= ========= =========

Note:

Free cash flow from operations consists of net cash provided by
operating activities, less payments for satellites and other property
and equipment and associated capitalized interest. Free cash flow from
operations is not a measurement of cash flow under GAAP. Intelsat
believes free cash flow from operations is a useful measure of
financial performance that shows a company's ability to fund its
operations. Free cash flow from operations is used by Intelsat in
comparing its performance to that of its peers and is commonly used by
analysts and investors in assessing performance. Free cash flow from
operations does not give effect to cash used for debt service
requirements, and thus does not reflect funds available for investment
or other discretionary uses. Free cash flow from operations is not a
measure of financial performance under GAAP, and our free cash flow
from operations may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of
other companies. You should not consider free cash flow from
operations as an alternative to operating or net income, determined in
accordance with GAAP, as an indicator of Intelsat's operating
performance, or as an alternative to cash flows from operating
activities, determined in accordance with GAAP, as an indicator of
cash flows or as a measure of liquidity.

Contacts

Intelsat, Ltd.
Dianne VanBeber, 202-944-7406
dianne.vanbeber@intelsat.com

At A Glance

Intelsat, Ltd.
Source: via Business Wire Updated 07/03/2006 by company
Headquarters:	Pembroke, Bermuda
Website:	http://www.intelsat.com
CEO:	David McGlade
Employees:	1400
Organization:	Private

Intelsat Reports Second Quarter 2006 Results; Revenue Increases on ...
Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA
14, 2006--Intelsat, Ltd., the world's largest provider of fixed satellite services, today reported results for the three-month and six-month periods ended June ...

Satellite dish ban flouted on China's auction

2006-08-14T13:07:00.000Z

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-08/14/content_664487.htm

CHINA / National

Satellite dish ban flouted on China's auction sites
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-08-14 15:55

BEIJING -- Illegal satellite dishes are still being auctioned on Chinese Internet sites, including eBay, the world's biggest on-line auction site, despite Beijing authorities warning of a crackdown on Saturday.

China's capital has launched a month-long hunt for illegal satellite dishes that can receive foreign programs. The Beijing Anti-Pornography and Anti-Piracy Office will target the production, distribution and installation of unauthorized satellite dishes and individuals will be fined up to 5,000 yuan (US$625) for installing a satellite dish.

Two days after the ban, satellite dish advertisements are still up and running on Internet auctions sites including eBay.com.cn.

"These ads were posted before the ban and we haven't had time to delete the auctions," said an official with eBay.com.cn, quoted in Monday's Beijing Daily Messenger.

"We can delete these postings, but we cannot prevent new auctions of satellite dishes on our website," an official with Taobao.com, eBay's Chinese rival was quoted as saying.

The official said it was difficult for the website to check the legitimacy of each auction item.

China's regulation on satellite dishes issued in 1993 prohibits individuals or work units from setting up satellite dishes to receive foreign programs.

Satellite dishes are legally allowed only in hotels above three stars, office buildings and apartments that are designed for foreigners.

However, many foreigners who work in Beijing and live in Chinese apartment complexes, as well as some Chinese, find the available programs on Chinese television unsatisfactory.

Satellite dishes sold on on-line auction sites range in price from 1,200 to 7,000 yuan (US$150 to US$875) depending on the number of channels available.

Satellite, cable battle wireless in US FCC auction

2006-08-13T13:22:00.000Z

Satellite, cable battle wireless in US FCC auction
Washington Post, United States - Aug 9, 2006
US wireless carriers battled with satellite and cable operators on Wednesday for valuable licenses for advanced wireless services -- like high-speed Internet access ...

Dual-Mode GSM-Satellite Modem For GPS Tracking Underway

2006-08-13T13:21:00.000Z

Dual-Mode GSM-Satellite Modem For GPS Tracking Underway
Telematics Journal, NY - Aug 11, 2006
Archetype and Quake Global have formed a strategic alliance to develop a new family of mobile wireless data modems using both satellite and cellular phone networks for GPS-based vehicle tracking.

JAXA to launch test antenna for big satellite in September

2006-08-13T13:20:00.000Z

JAXA to launch test antenna for big satellite in September
Mainichi Daily News, Japan - 8 hours ago
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, known as JAXA, said Saturday it will launch an antenna unit for its Engineering Test Satellite-VIII in September to check whether the satellite''s wide, flat antenna opens up properly in space.

Nangarhar TV network connected to satellite

2006-08-13T13:19:00.000Z

Nangarhar TV network connected to satellite
PakTribune.com, Pakistan - Aug 11, 2006
JALALABAD: Television network, broadcasting programmes for two hours, in the eastern Nangarhar province was connected to satellite, officials said.

New satellite begins sending weather data

2006-08-13T13:18:00.000Z

New satellite begins sending weather data
China Post, Taiwan -
Taiwan's recently launched satellite, FORMOSAT-3, has begun sending weather data, as the first micro-satellite of the constellation settled in its designated orbital plane, a senior official of the FORMOSAT-3 Program Office said yesterday.

XM Satellite gets emissions info request from FCC

2006-08-13T13:17:00.000Z

XM Satellite gets emissions info request from FCC
MarketWatch - Aug 11, 2006
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. on Friday said the Federal Communications Commission requested additional information from the company related to emissions from several of its devices ...
Sirius Satellite resumes manufacturing radios Reuters
Sirius Satellite resumes manufacturing radios Reuters
UPDATE 1-FCC requests more data on certain XM receivers Reuters
BusinessWeek - Los Angeles Times - all 73 related »

Cable and Satellite TV Set Their Sights on Airwaves

2006-08-07T20:46:00.000Z

NEW YORK TIMES

August 7, 2006

Cable and Satellite TV Set Their Sights on Airwaves

By MATT RICHTEL and KEN BELSON

In the telecommunications business, it seems everyone wants to do everything. Now the biggest names in cable and satellite television are poised to get into mobile phone and wireless data services.

On Wednesday, Time Warner, Comcast, Cox Communications, EchoStar Communications and DirecTV, a unit of the News Corporation, will be among the 168 qualified bidders in the government’s multibillion-dollar auction of radio spectrum, that precious commodity that allows voice calls and data to be sent over the airwaves.

But these companies are not necessarily planning to use those frequencies for TV signals. Rather, they appear to be preparing to battle AT&T, Verizon Communications and other companies that sell traditional phone lines, broadband connections and wireless services — and are now diving into television.

Though the cable and satellite providers declined to discuss their strategies, many analysts expect them to buy at least enough spectrum to build networks that will allow them to sell wireless Internet connections and mobile phone services.

That would let the cable companies and, to a lesser degree, the satellite companies, complete a decade-long transformation: instead of just selling packages of TV channels, they are becoming one-stop shops with a full line of communications products.

“The nontraditional players will be the main bidders,” said Sharon Armbrust, an analyst at Kagan Research. “It’s a hole in their game plan they need to fill.”

An alliance that includes DirecTV and EchoStar has put the most money into a deposit for the bidding, more than $972 million. Another alliance, led by Comcast, Cox, Time Warner Cable and others, has put down $638 million. T-Mobile, Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless have made separate deposits.

To counter the cable and satellite companies, cellphone companies are expected to add to their stores of spectrum, particularly in cities where their networks get the most use. They may also bid up the price of some of the 1,122 licenses on sale to make it more expensive for their rivals to gain a foothold in an already intensely competitive market, analysts said.

Whoever wins the auctions, the mobile phone industry is at a crossroads. Now that nearly three out of every four Americans have cellphones, new subscriber growth is starting to slow and competition to retain customers and find new ones is intensifying.

As one indicator, newcomers like ESPN Mobile and Helio — which run over the Sprint Nextel network rather than operate their own — have so far found it tough to gain traction, analysts said.

Their challenges have raised questions about whether new entrants can survive in an already crowded market. They have also cast doubt on whether sophisticated data plans that let users download music, send e-mail and watch television are worth the investment.

Verizon Wireless, which has spent years and invested billions of dollars in its data services, is just starting to see the benefits. It brought in more than $1 billion from such services in the second quarter, nearly twice as much as in the second quarter of 2005. Cingular and Sprint have similar services up and running, making it tough for new entrants. It also means that adding more spectrum is a luxury rather than a necessity for the three largest wireless carriers.

“We will always look at spectrum,” said Doreen A. Toben, chief financial officer at Verizon Communications. “But we are in good shape through 2010, so there is no gun to our head to buy now.”

Verizon and other big carriers may tread lightly in this auction and instead focus on an auction scheduled for 2008, analysts said. That spectrum, now used by broadcasters, is better suited to the types of video services mobile phone carriers are keen to offer.

However, T-Mobile, the No. 4 player in the mobile market and a unit of Deutsche Telekom, does not offer many of these so-called third-generation services. It is expected to be an eager buyer of spectrum in this round so it can introduce services to catch up to its larger rivals.

“T-Mobile is quite spectrum-constrained in quite a few markets,” said Roger Entner, a telecommunications analyst at Ovum Research. “They desperately need that spectrum.”

The outcome of the auction is not likely to be known for weeks because the format allows for many rounds of bids. But it is unusual for its size and scope. The blocks of spectrum for sale — many of which were reserved for the military and other government agencies — stretch across the country, so they represent a rare chance for newcomers to quickly offer nationwide service.

Analyst estimates of how much the auction could raise for the Treasury vary widely, from $7 billion to $21.5 billion, which means it has the potential to surpass the $16.8 billion worth of bids in 2000 and 2001. The average paid per license, though, is unlikely to surpass the prices paid during the height of the dot-com boom, when some companies overbid and went bankrupt.

Some analysts also said the bidding might be tempered by the slumping values of wireless stocks and fears that the industry is already overcrowded.

Still, dozens of smaller and regional companies are expected to bid as they try to cover rural areas and expand into potentially lucrative services offering ultrahigh-speed wireless Internet connections, particularly in less-populated areas of the country.

But the risks for them are high. Even after buying spectrum, they will need to build cellphone towers and other network equipment, work with handset makers to develop phones and products, and market their services — all while giants like Cingular and Verizon counter their moves.

“This is not a mom-and-pop business,” Mr. Entner said. “You need billions of dollars to play this game. It’s quite likely that a few of the bidders of this auction will go out of business and the spectrum will be reallocated.”

Still, the auction could be good for consumers because new companies might get into the game and offer new services, increasing competition and bringing down prices, said Ranjan Mishra, a telecommunications industry analyst with Mercer Management Consulting.

“Given you have so many new players, you’ll have at least one new infrastructure player in each of the major markets,” he said.

The impact of giving consumers another choice for wireless service is unclear, though. The amount customers spend each month on cellphone plans has leveled off, even as carriers have introduced new services on networks that cost billions of dollars to build.

“There’s always a limit to how many guys can survive,” said Bret Sewell, chief executive of Venturi Wireless, which helps carriers offer multimedia services. “Some more competition will be good, but the incumbents are in the strongest position after many years of figuring out mobility.”

Despite the questionable economics, cable and satellite companies feel they have no choice but to participate in the auction. Cellphones are clearly a favorite with consumers, and companies that do not offer wireless services — even money-losing ones — risk losing customers to the Bell companies and their wireless units, Cingular, owned by AT&T and BellSouth, and Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone.

For their part, the satellite companies, which have limited broadband services and no phone products, are expected to use any spectrum they buy to offer wireless broadband access, Mr. Mishra said.

“If EchoStar and DirecTV get the spectrum, they’re likely to build broadband networks and compete head-to-head with fiber,” the ground-based networks owned by cable and phone companies, he said. The cable companies now offer cellphone service only by piggybacking on Sprint’s network. Cable companies and Sprint have been working for months to develop products that will, say, let customers program their digital video recorders from their wireless handsets.

In the auction, an alliance of cable companies that includes Comcast, Cox and Time Warner Cable has joined with Sprint to bid for spectrum. Analysts say Sprint could provide expertise in operating wireless networks, while the cable companies could focus on how to combine their existing products with mobile phones without having to rely on Sprint’s network.

SES GLOBAL reports net profit increase of 28.6% on revenue growth of 16.6%

2006-08-07T15:21:00.000Z

PRESS RELEASE

Betzdorf, August 7th, 2006

Consolidated Financial Results for the six months to 30 June 2006

SES GLOBAL reports net profit increase of 28.6% on revenue growth of 16.6%

Organic growth and acquisition of New Skies drive strong first half results

HIGHLIGHTS

Revenues rose 16.6% to EUR 710.5 million (2005: EUR 609.2 million)

- Increasing 8.1 % to EUR 657.0 million (2005: EUR 608.1 million) on a recurring, same scope (excluding SES NEW SKIES) and constant exchange rate basis

EBITDA rose 14.1% to EUR 499.5 million (2005: EUR 437.6 million)

Net profit rose 28.6% to EUR 215.6 million (2005: EUR 167.7 million)

Earnings per share rose 34.5% to EUR 0.39 (2005 : EUR 0.29)

New Skies acquisition completed 30 March, strengthening global coverage

Industry-leading backlog of EUR 6,781.7 million (December 2005: EUR 6,489.9 million)

Share buybacks to July 31 totalled EUR 213.3 million - primarily earmarked for cancellation as part of the share buy-back programme - with EUR 148.9 million having been spent by June 30^th.

Net debt/EBITDA stood at 3.01 - in line with the Group’s stated target - compared to 2.39 on December 31, 2005

Romain Bausch, President & CEO of SES, said,

“The first six months of 2006 were significant for the development of the SES group.

We concluded the acquisition of New Skies Satellites in order to expand our connectivity offerings as well as to strengthen substantially our positioning in emerging markets. SES NEW SKIES’ performance is ahead of plan and progress in the integration makes us confident that we should achieve the synergy target. In addition, we further increased our shareholding in ND Satcom to 100%, strengthening our services capabilities in particular in the government segment.

We also continued to grow organically our core satellite infrastructure business, as well as our services activities, at a high single-digit rate. This growth came from increased demand for satellite capacity and services in the media, enterprise and government segments in our main markets of Europe and North America. In order to expand and renew our global satellite fleet, we successfully launched one satellite (ASTRA 1KR) in April this year, started the procurement of three others (AMC-21, CIEL-2 and AsiaSat 5), and will initiate two further programmes (ASTRA 3B and NSS-9) in the second half of 2006. These new satellites will allow us to continue to drive organic growth into the future.

We also launched a digital infrastructure project in the German market which should facilitate the smooth transition from analogue to digital broadcast technology with all its attendant benefits for the consumer. For SES, this represents an exciting opportunity to develop a new, profitable revenue stream.

In addition to these value-creating growth initiatives, we continued to deliver on our share buy-back programme, with EUR 213.3 million being spent by the end of July, thereby optimising our capital structure.

In sum, the first half has been a busy and productive time for SES and our solid performance throughout supports our efforts as we focus on achieving our objectives for the balance of the year.”

For further information please contact:

Mark Roberts

Investor Relations

Tel. +352 710 725 490

Mark.Roberts@ses-global.com

Yves Feltes

Press Relations

Tel. +352 710 725 311

Yves.Feltes@ses-global.com

Additional information is available on our website www.ses-global.com

PRESS / ANALYST TELECONFERENCES

A press call will be hosted at 11.00 Betzdorf time today, 7 August 2006. Journalists are invited to call: +44 (0) 20 8515 2304 five minutes prior to this time.

A call for investors and analysts will be hosted at 14.00 Betzdorf time today, 7 August 2006. Participants are invited to call: +44 (0) 20 8515 2303 five minutes prior to this time. Journalists may join the call in listen-only mode.

A presentation, which will be referred to in each call, will be available for download from the Investor Relations section of our website www.ses-global.com

SES Global to continue share buybacks depending on cash flow and R&D

2006-08-07T15:09:00.000Z

ROUNDUP SES Global raises FY EBITDA guidance as order book reaches ...
Forbes - 3 hours ago
PARIS (AFX) - Satellite operator SES Global increased its full-year EBITDA guidance, prompting a rise in its share price, as second quarter EBITDA came in at ...

SES Global to continue share buybacks depending on cash flow and ...
Forbes - 4 hours ago
PARIS (AFX) - SES Global will continue share buy backs in the remainder of the year depending on cash flow and on research and development costs, Marc Rigolle ... PARIS (AFX) - SES Global will continue share buy backs in the remainder of the year depending on cash flow and on research and development costs, Marc Rigolle, the satellite operator's chief financial officer, said in a conference call on first half results.

SES Global to continue share buybacks depending on cash flow and R&D
08.07.2006, 07:27 AM

SES has authority from shareholders to buy up another 5 pct of shares if it wishes after repurchasing shares worth 213.3 mln eur up to the end of July, equivalent to 3 pct of the total, he said.

Romain Bausch, the CEO, said the company currently has 'nothing concrete on the road map' for acquisitions, though he does not rule them out if suitable opportunities crop up.

He is 'confident of strong growth' from its existing operations and from recent acquisitions New Skies Satellites and ND Satcom.

The CEO expects 20 pct of German digital satellite television users to have signed up for SES Astra's new Doplhin platform by the time free-to-air digital services are switched off in 2008.

The figure is expected to rise to 80-90 pct by the time analogue television is switched off in Germany, scheduled for 2010-2012, he said.

Rausch defended a plan to charge German digital TV subscribers 3-3.50 eur per month for access to Dolphin, saying it will be a technical fee, similar to the 12-20 eur subscription charged by German pay-TV companies.

Doplhin is an interim name for the project and the final brand name will be different, he added.

equitynext@afxnews.com

SES Global to launch 3 satellites per yr to 2010, adding 240 ...
Forbes - 5 hours ago
PARIS (AFX) - SES Global plans to launch an average of three new satellites per year for the rest of the decade, adding more than 240 transponders and giving ...

08.07.2006, 06:32 AM
PARIS (AFX) - SES Global plans to launch an average of three new satellites per year for the rest of the decade, adding more than 240 transponders and giving the company the 'most dynamic' launch schedule of any satellite operator, Roman Bausch, SES CEO, said in a conference call on second quarter results.

All projects will exceed the company's threshhold for internal rate of return, he said.

SES said its order backlog from existing and new customers at the end of June was 6.782 bln eur, more than five times 2005 sales and up from 6.490 at the end of September.

SES Global raises FY EBITDA guidance as Q2 EBITDA tops estimates ...
Forbes - 7 hours ago
PARIS (AFX) - Satellite operator SES Global raised its full-year EBITDA guidance as second quarter EBITDA came in at the top end of expectations thanks to ...

SES Global Raises Profit Forecast on Satellite Demand (Update1)
Bloomberg - 7 hours ago
Aug. 7 (Bloomberg) -- SES Global, the world's largest satellite broadcaster, increased its profit forecast for 2006 as newly launched satellites spur sales. ...

SES Global increases profit forecast
Heise Online, Germany - 5 hours ago
SES Global, the world's leading satellite operator, has increased its profit forecast for 2006 after a strong first and second quarter. ...

SES GLOBAL, (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG):
Black Enterprise, NY - 7 hours ago

 HIGHLIGHTS -- Revenues rose 16.6% to EUR 710.5 million (2005: EUR 609.2 million) -- Increasing 8.1 % to EUR 657.0 million (2005: EUR 608.1 million) on a ...

SES GLOBAL meldt netto winstgroei van 28,6 procent voor eerste ...
Netherlands Corporate News (persbericht), Netherlands - 7 hours ago
( BW)(SES-GLOBAL)(SESG.PA)(SESG.LU) Consolidated Financial Results for the Six Months to 30 June 2006; SES GLOBAL Reports Net Profit Increase of 28.6% on ...

SES Global Says Net Profit Rises 28.6% To EUR215.6 Million
Easy Bourse (Communiqués de presse), France - 7 hours ago
BRUSSELS -(Dow Jones)- SES GLOBAL (008808732.LUX) said Monday that its net profit rose 28.6% to EUR 215.6 million versus EUR 167.7 million in the previous year ...

SES Global Raises Profit Forecast on Satellite Demand

2006-08-07T15:07:00.000Z

SES Global Raises Profit Forecast on Satellite Demand (Update1)

Aug. 7 (Bloomberg) -- SES Global, the world's largest satellite broadcaster, increased its profit forecast for 2006 as newly launched satellites spur sales. The shares rose as much as 5.8 percent.

Excluding purchases, profit before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization is now expected to be between 918 million euros ($1.18 billion) and 938 million euros in the full year, SES Global said in an e-mailed statement today. That's an increase of 23 million euros from the earlier forecast.

Sales growth will be ``approaching'' 10 percent this year, the Betzdorf, Luxembourg-based company said. ``Revenues will continue to grow faster than those of our peers.''

SES Global, which leases satellite capacity to broadcasting companies such as British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc and General Electric Co.'s NBC, launched two satellites last year and plans to bring more into orbit this year to help meet rising demand in Asia, the U.S. and Eastern Europe. The company is also selling new services such as digital television and mobile-phone calls using satellites to help increase sales.

Shares of the company increased as much as 60 cents to 10.89 euros in Paris, and traded at 10.65 euros as of 9:40 a.m., giving the company a market value of 5.86 billion euros. Before today, the shares had lost 30 percent since the start of 2006, compared with a 6.9 percent gain in France's SBF 120 index.

First-Half Profit

Net income in the first half rose to 215.6 million euros from 167.7 million euros a year earlier, the company said today. Sales at SES Global gained 17 percent to 710.5 million euros.

The company also in December agreed to buy competitor New Skies Satellites Holdings Ltd. for $760 million to expand coverage in Asia and services to clients including the U.S. Department of Defense.

Including acquisitions and restructuring costs, SES Global expects Ebitda to be in the range of 980 million euros to 1 billion euros in 2006 and sales to grow more than 20 percent, the company said today.

The combination with New Skies may help SES weather increased competition as the industry consolidates. Intelsat Ltd., the No. 2 global commercial-satellite provider, in August 2005 agreed to buy PanAmSat Holding Corp. for $3.2 billion in cash. Eutelsat Communication SA, the world's No. 3 satellite company, raised about 860 million euros in an initial share sale in December.

The New Skies acquisitions will help to cut costs by $30 million a year, SES Global said today. The savings will be fully achieved starting in 2008, with $20 million expected in 2007. SES Global expects to have about $38 million in costs in the next 12 months to integrate New Skies.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Simon Thiel in Munich at  sthiel1@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: August 7, 2006 03:42 EDT

Galileo, Galileo, soon to be figaro magnifico...

2006-07-29T01:16:00.000Z

Story URL: http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/0,3800010403,39160902,00.htm

Euro satellite navigation takes to the skies

Galileo, Galileo, soon to be figaro magnifico...

By Steve Ranger

Published: Thursday 27 July 2006

A European satellite navigation service could provide the platform for thousands of new applications based on the pinpoint location information it will be able to provide.

Galileo will be Europe's own global navigation satellite system, made up of a constellation of 30 satellites (27 operational and three spares), which will deliver real-time positioning. Accuracy will be down to about a metre.

At the moment, users of satellite navigation systems in Europe rely on the US GPS service or the Russian Glonass satellites - neither of which guarantees to maintain an uninterrupted service. On top of this, Galileo promises to be more accurate and provide services that US military-run GPS can't do so well.

The first test satellite - the Giove-A - was launched in December last year and another five satellites will go up in the next couple of years to test the project. Depending on satellite launches some services could be available from 2008.

While satellite positioning technology is now becoming commonplace through the use of sat-nav systems in cars, the success of Galileo could also pave the way for a number of new services that require more accuracy than GPS can currently offer.

EU figures suggest the new satellite system could deliver benefits of up to €74bn - not bad on a €3bn investment.

Lord Kinnock was one of the champions of Galileo when he was Europe's transport commissioner and is still a big supporter, praising the "limitless potential" of the constellation of satellites. "It's a long way from science fiction - it's science fact," he said.

James Raper, professor of geographic information science at City University, explained: "It will finish the job the GPS started. Location information must become as pervasive as timing information - and we've all got watches."

Galileo could allow thousands of niche applications to flourish - from bidding for car parking spaces in the centre of town to measuring a runner's weekly training progress - that can't be done at the moment, he said.

But the applications most likely to benefit are road charging and vehicle speed limiting systems.

Professor David Begg, director of the Centre for Transport Policy at the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen said: "Galileo is not just desirable from a transport policy perspective but essential."

The answer to congestion is not to add more and more roads said Begg, until last year chairman of the Commission for Integrated Transport. Current congestion charging technology is too expensive to roll out everywhere, while GPS is not accurate enough to use to charge motorists, he said.

Speaking at a roundtable sponsored by Logica CMG, which is already working on a number of contracts in the project, Begg added: "What we need to be focusing on is more efficient use of the capacity we have and Galileo is the key to the door."

But just by changing the way people pay - moving from a flat-rate road tax to one based on usage - congestion can be cut by almost half, he claims. Motorists would either make fewer journeys or make more of them off-peak.

The government thinks that it could be feasible to use Galileo for road pricing by 2014.

While no government that wants to get re-elected is likely to make road pricing compulsory in the short term, another way satellite technology could become pervasive is through the use of vehicle speed-limiting technology. Drivers could get cheaper car insurance if they agree to have such technology in operation on their vehicles.

Europe's satellite positioning system edges forward

2006-07-29T01:13:00.000Z

Europe's satellite positioning system edges forward

Construction of a new satellite navigation system, Galileo, came a step closer to realization Monday when the two bidders for the contract to build and operate it submitted a common proposal. Their move could end months of indecision at the body set up to select a preferred bidder, which has so far been unable to choose between the two consortia.

Similar to the U.S. GPS (Global Positioning System), Galileo will transmit signals from a constellation of satellites, enabling handheld terminals on the ground to calculate their position, wherever they are in the world.

The two bidding consortia, Eurely and iNavSat, have submitted a joint proposal on the main elements of the project, said Hans Peter Marchlewski, general counselor for Galileo Joint Undertaking, the body set up by the European Commission and the European Space Agency to select a preferred bidder.

The group is evaluating the joint proposal, which could be accepted if the consortia can show it will offer better value than their individual bids, Marchlewski said. The joint proposal is not a full bid, the documents for which would run to several thousand pages, he said.

Eurely and iNavSat will have to wait until June 27 to find out whether their new proposal is accepted, he said.

Eurely's members are Aeropuertos Espa'oles y Navegaci'n A'rea (AENA), Alcatel SA, Finmeccanica SpA and Hispasat SA, while iNavSat comprises European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. EADS NV (EADS Space), Inmarsat Ventures Ltd. and Thales SA.

With their joint proposal, the consortia say they can deliver the project at a lower cost, yet still have it ready on time. Galileo is due to enter service in 2008.

The Commission and the ESA are together advancing around '1.1 billion (US$1.3 billion) of the '3.2 billion they expect it will cost to develop Galileo. The system has found supporters outside of Europe too: The National Remote Sensing Center of China (NRSCC) has said it will contribute '200 million to Galileo's development.

Conceived for civilian applications, Galileo is intended to free European businesses from dependence on a military system controlled by a foreign government. There is no risk to users that service will suddenly be withdrawn or encrypted in case of conflict, its backers say.

While the basic Galileo signals will be free for all, additional encrypted signals will provide a higher level of service for a fee, which will allow its operators to repay the money advanced by the Commission and the ESA.

Galileo is intended to cooperate, rather than compete, with GPS: The U.S. and the European Union signed an agreement in 2004 to make the systems interoperable.

Another European satellite navigation service is due to begin transmitting soon. The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) improves the accuracy of GPS for European users with appropriate receivers. It transmits additional signals from three geostationary satellites over Africa which, in conjunction with a network of ground stations at precisely known positions, can be used to improve the accuracy and calculate the reliability of the GPS signal at a given place and time. The additional signal makes EGNOS suitable for safety-critical applications, and improves accuracy to within 5 meters, according to the ESA.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Authority operates a similar service, Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), over North America.

CEBIT - Alcatel adds satellite to mobile TV picture

2006-07-29T01:11:00.000Z

CEBIT - Alcatel adds satellite to mobile TV picture
With the help of satellites, Alcatel SA aims to overcome a key hurdle in rolling out broadcast television services over mobile phones: the lack of available spectrum.
[CEBIT - Alcatel adds satellite to mobile TV picture]

With the help of satellites, Alcatel SA aims to overcome a key hurdle in rolling out broadcast television services over mobile phones: the lack of available spectrum.

The French telecommunications-equipment manufacturer proposes using the widely available S-Band frequency reserved for satellites to transmit broadcast signals both terrestrially and via satellite to mobile phones based on the DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld) standard, instead of the UHF band. The UHF band is typically used for TV transmissions in Europe but has little or no capacity to spare, said Herbert Mittermayr, vice president of marketing for mobile TV systems at Alcatel, in an interview last week at the Cebit trade show in Hanover, Germany.

Broadcast mobile TV phones receive regular TV broadcasts using special antennas. An alternative service, which is already available, streams video data to phones over mobile networks. The big difference is broadcast's one-to-many relationship versus a streamed transmission's one-to-one.

The Alcatel proposal calls for equipping base stations with S-Band repeaters and, in addition, using satellites capable of transmitting in the S-Band to deliver content to 3G (third-generation) phones enabled with DVB-H technology in three different ways: base-station streaming, base-station broadcasting and satellite broadcasting.

Each delivery service has its own advantages and disadvantages.

While the streamed service via the base station offers nearly unlimited channels and deep indoor coverage, it can support only a limited number of subscribers in a given area of the cellular network.

By comparison, the base-station broadcast service can support an unlimited audience with good indoor coverage but offers only 27 channels.

While the satellite-based broadcast service also can support an unlimited audience, especially in rural areas, it offers poor indoor coverage and only nine channels.

"Users don't have to worry about which service to select," said Mittermayr. "An intelligent content management system decides which of the three delivery channels is the most appropriate."

In addition to its availability, another key advantage of the S-Band is required antenna length. The frequency requires an antenna length of 6.5 centimeters, compared to UHF's 60 centimeters, according to Mittermayr.

The S-Band is a satellite allocation operating in the 2,170MHz - 2,220MHz frequency range, which is immediately adjacent to the 3G band.

Several companies are currently developing chipsets and handsets compliant with the S-Band, as well as designing antennas and other components, according to Alcatel.

Chip maker DiBcom SA is designing a new chipset that will be compatible with the DVB-H standard working in the S-Band, Alcatel said.

Sagem Communication SA is developing DVB-H phones that support both UHF and S-Band, according to Alcatel.

http://www.pcwelt.de/news/englishnews/NetworkingTelecommunication/133754/

No obvious buyers seen for Raytheon business jet unit

2006-07-29T00:39:00.000Z

No obvious buyers seen for Raytheon business jet unit Reuters
Defense profits up, Raytheon may sell aircraft unit Reuters
Raytheon profit up on defense, jet sales MSN Money

Raytheon profit jumps; explores sale of aircraft unit
Boston Globe, United States - 16 hours ago
By Robert Weisman, Globe Staff | July 28, 2006. Waltham defense giant Raytheon Co. yesterday posted a 54 percent jump in second-quarter ...
Defense spending boosts Raytheon Lowell Sun
Raytheon 2Q earnings higher than expected Arizona Daily Star
Raytheon Co.'s net income rises 54% Rocky Mountain News
Bloomberg - Bloomberg -

Toronto Star

Raytheon, Northrop Grumman Report Strong Earnings; L-3's Net Down ...
Seeking Alpha, NY - 11 hours ago
Summary: Buoyed by demand for military electronics and information-technology services, defense contractors Raytheon Co. (RTN) and Northrop Grumman Corp. ...
Raytheon profits jump 54% Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Raytheon may sell aircraft unit WAVE
Defense contractors gain in quarter Bryan College Station Eagle
Salt Lake Tribune - Toronto Star -

Montreal Gazette

Bombardier monitoring possible Raytheon aircraft division spinoff
Ottawa Citizen, Canada - 17 hours ago
MONTREAL - Bombardier Inc., the world's leading business jet builder, reacted cautiously yesterday to US defence contractor Raytheon Co.'s plan to sell or spin ...
Bombardier keeps eye on Raytheon Montreal Gazette

Raytheon explores sale
The Wichita Eagle, KS - 18 hours ago
BY MOLLY McMILLIN. A strong aircraft market is one reason it's a good time for Raytheon Co. to explore ... said Thursday. Raytheon Co. ...
Raytheon not for sale, yet Salina Journal
Another aircraft company, another ‘for sale’ sign The Wichita Eagle

Raytheon Considers Selling Wichita Plant
KAKE, KS - 23 hours ago
July 27 - Raytheon reveals it's considering selling its Wichita aircraft division, news which shouldn't really be that surprising. ...
Raytheon considering 'strategic alternatives' for Raytheon ... Phoenix Business Journal
Raytheon may sell Raytheon Aircraft Kansas.com
Raytheon mulls sale of business aircraft division Flight International
Kansas.com -

RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT HISTORY
Kansas.com, KS - 18 hours ago
1932: Beech Aircraft Corp. is founded in Wichita by Walter H. and Olive Ann Beech and produces the Model 17 Beechcraft Staggerwing. ...
Raytheon explores sale options for Wichita aircraft maker Kansas.com
Timeline: Raytheon Aircraft's history Kansas.com
Email an Article to a Friend Aero-News Network

Raytheon reports profit increase, raises full-year guidance
Boston Herald, United States - Jul 27, 2006
... Raytheon said net income for the April-June period was 310 million dollars or 69 cents per share. That’s up from $201 million or 44 cents per share. ...
Raytheon reports profit increase, raises full-year guidance KVOA.com
Raytheon reports profit increase, raises full-year guidance KVOA.com

Textron 'not interested' in Raytheon jet business

2006-07-29T00:36:00.000Z

Textron 'not interested' in Raytheon jet business

Fri Jul 28, 2006 10:08am ET

BOSTON, July 28 (Reuters) - Diversified manufacturer Textron Inc. (TXT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is "not interested" in buying defense contractor Raytheon Co.'s (RTN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) corporate jet business, a Textron spokeswoman said on Friday.

Raytheon on Thursday said it would seek to sell its small-jet unit, which makes Beechcraft and Hawker business and training planes. It competes with Textron's Cessna unit.

Kim Reingold, a spokeswoman for Providence, Rhode Island-based Textron, said that in making acquisitions, Textron would be "looking at businesses that are complementary to our existing portfolio," rather than building up businesses it was already engaged in.

Raytheon explores sale of subsidiary

2006-07-29T00:34:00.000Z

FINANCIAL TIMES

Raytheon explores sale of subsidiary (requires subscription)

Raytheon, the US missile manufacturer, yesterday said it was exploring a sale or a spin-off of its corporate aircraft...

By James Boxell in London · Financial Times, Jul 28, 2006

Raytheon explores sale of subsidiary

By James Boxell in London

Published: July 28 2006 03:00 | Last updated: July 28 2006 03:00

Raytheon, the US missile manufacturer, yesterday said it was exploring a sale or a spin-off of its corporate aircraft subsidiary as it looked to concentrate on its core defence business.

Credit Suisse, the investment bank, had been hired to explore a "potential sale of the business, an initial public offering or spin-off to shareholders or some combination thereof", the company said.

The rest of this article is for FT.com subscribers only

EchoStar Looks to Supreme Court for Relief

2006-07-29T00:29:00.000Z

EchoStar Looks to Supreme Court for Relief

By Ted Hearn 7/26/2006 7:27:00 PM

EchoStar Communications is planning to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to protect more than a half-million subscribers from losing access to out-of-market feeds of ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox programming if a private settlement with hundreds of local TV stations can't be reached.

As a result of court setbacks in copyright disputes, EchoStar may have to terminate distant network service to 1.2 million customers in all, including about 600,000 who have been receiving the programming legally. An abrupt cutoff would likely inflict financial pain on EchoStar and generate a strong political backlash on Capitol Hill.

Legal scenarios are expected to play out in three courts as key House lawmakers wait to learn whether thousands of voters are going to lose access to network programming stemming from a court case that has dragged on for years and received little attention.

First, EchoStar Tuesday asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11^th Circuit -- which authorized the injunction back in May and just rejected EchoStar’s appeal -- to stay the ruling pending the outcome of the appeal it will file in the Supreme Court.

If the 11^th Circuit rejects EchoStar’s stay motion, the case would return to a U.S. District Court in south Florida for processing of the injunction.

Second, in preparation of the stay denial, EchoStar and network-affiliated TV stations that sued EchoStar jointly asked the lower court Tuesday to postpone any injunction until Sept. 11. Both sides informed the court that they were attempting to reach a settlement.

The parties were urged to file for a 45-day postponement by key members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas).

Lastly, if the District Court ignores the postponement request, EchoStar still has the option of asking the Supreme Court to lift the injunction while considering the merits of the appeal of the 11^th Circuit's May ruling.

In that decision, the 11^th Circuit found that EchoStar had flagrantly broken the law by selling out-of-market network signals to thousands of ineligible customers.

E-tailer Stocks: Enterprise Value / EBITDA

2006-07-29T00:28:00.000Z

E-tailer Stocks: Enterprise Value / EBITDA

Posted on Jul 27th

Rob Zenilman submits: As of July 25 2006, positive Enterprise Value/ EBITDA (ttm) ratios of stocks covered in the E-tailer sector ranged from 32.7 (STMP) down to 5.0 (BKS), with a median value of 12.8.

* View More Retail Sector Charts *
Data in table version -- click on a ticker for opinion and analysis of the company:

		TTM	Enterprise	EBITDA	EV/
Ticker	Company	Ending	Value ($000)	($000)	EBITDA
AAPL	Apple Computer Inc.	07/19/06	$43,647.84	$2,556.00	17.1
ADBL	Audible, Inc.	05/15/06	$147.38	-$5.64	-26.1
ALOY	Alloy Inc.	06/08/06	$160.86	$17.12	9.4
AMZN	Amazon.com Inc.	04/27/06	$13,957.09	$587.00	23.8
BFLY	Bluefly Inc.	05/11/06	$136.85	-$3.66	-37.4
BKS	Barnes & Noble Inc.	06/02/06	$2,216.10	$443.32	5.0
DELL	Dell Inc.	06/07/06	$39,561.45	$5,084.00	7.8
DSCM	Drugstore.com Inc.	05/12/06	$232.22	-$9.06	-25.6
FLWS	1-800-Flowers.com In	05/12/06	$349.40	$27.39	12.8
FTD	FTD Group Inc.	05/10/06	$646.59	$65.96	9.8
IACI	IAC/InterActiveCorp	05/10/06	$6,761.15	$1,029.96	6.6
NFLX	Netflix, Inc.	05/09/06	$775.22	$49.50	15.7
NILE	Blue Nile Inc.	05/11/06	$414.33	$19.73	21.0
ODMO	Odimo Inc.	05/15/06	$6.23	-$10.81	-0.6
OSTK	Overstock.com Inc.	05/10/06	$442.52	-$13.42	-33.0
POSH	BabyUniverse, Inc.	05/15/06	$44.41	-$.28	-161.0
REDE	RedEnvelope Inc.	06/29/06	$83.04	-$.82	-101.3
STMP	Stamps.com Inc.	05/09/06	$438.18	$13.39	32.7

Hardware Stocks: Enterprise Value / EBITDA

2006-07-29T00:26:00.000Z

Computer System Manufacturer Stocks: Enterprise Value / EBITDA

Posted on Jul 26th

Rob Zenilman submits: As of July 25 2006, positive Enterprise Value/ EBITDA (ttm) ratios of stocks covered in the Computer Hardware sector ranged from 21.2 (SUNW) down to 3.5 (LNVGY), with a median value of 7.8.

* View More Hardware Sector Charts *
Data in table version -- click on a ticker for opinion and analysis of the company:

		TTM	Enterprise	EBITDA	EV/
Ticker	Company	Ending	Value ($000)	($000)	EBITDA
AAPL	Apple Computer Inc.	07/19/06	$43,647.84	$2,556.00	17.1
CRAY	Cray Inc.	05/09/06	$308.10	-$10.19	-30.2
DELL	Dell Inc.	06/07/06	$39,561.45	$5,084.00	7.8
FJTSY	Fujitsu Ltd.	01/31/06	$21,669.35	$3,558.46	6.1
GTW	Gateway Inc.	05/09/06	$392.53	$66.28	5.9
HPQ	Hewlett-Packard Co.	06/08/06	$78,367.82	$8,387.00	9.3
IBM	International Busine	07/18/06	$127,281.36	$20,516.00	6.2
LNVGY	Lenovo Group Ltd.	07/12/06	$1,345.22	$384.29	3.5
RACK	Rackable Systems Inc	05/15/06	$783.56	$41.38	18.9
SUNW	Sun Microsystems Inc	05/05/06	$12,523.68	$592.00	21.2
UIS	Unisys Corp.	07/19/06	$2,209.84	-$3.90	-566.6

BIDU, CTRP, GIGM, GSOL, NCTY, NTES, SINA, SNDA, SOHU China To Become Top Internet Use Nation

2006-07-29T00:22:00.000Z

China To Become Top Internet Use Nation; Fare Is Decidedly Youth-Focused

http://china.seekingalpha.com/article/14144

Posted on Jul 24th with stocks: BIDU, CTRP, GIGM, GSOL, NCTY, NTES, SINA, SNDA, SOHU

Helen Wang submits: Yesterday’s Xinhua news revealed the new statistics from China Internet Network Information Centre [CNNIC]: the number of Internet users in China has reached 123 million, representing a 19.4 per cent growth since June 2005.

This means, in a year or two, China will “officially” surpass the United States and become the number one country in term of Internet users.

While this sounds encouraging for people who want to tap into the Internet boom in China, a closer look at the numbers showed some signs of a problem: more than 80 percent of the Chinese netizens are below age 35, with 40 percent of them between age 18 – 24. The ratio of high school students is even higher, at 50 percent

As Lu Bowang, CNNIC senior consultant, said, "It may be a worrying phenomenon that the ratio of Internet users above 30 years old is dropping because the Internet economy is too much focused on entertainment and young users."

I remember my friends in China complained about the silliness and mindlessness of the content on the Internet. Compared with the US, majority of people on the Internet in China are young people seeking entertainment and fun, versus professionals searching for information and knowledge.

I believe one of the reasons is because there is less outdoor space in China. After school, those kids, full of energy, don’t have many places to go. Sitting in front of computers and escaping into cyberspace becomes a natural alternative.

As for business people, they usually have their secretaries, typically young girls, to surf the Internet for them for any business related information. No wonder this resulted in a country of young netizens!

Sirius Satellite Radio: Bleeding Cash Faster Than Subscriber Growth

2006-07-29T00:14:00.000Z

Sirius Satellite Radio: Bleeding Cash Faster Than Subscriber Growth

Posted on Jul 21st with stocks: SIRI

Rich Vanden Boogard submits: I just read a line from a Motley Fool RSS feed:

Everywhere you look, you will find companies that have seen their shares plummet despite good news... Sirius Satellite Radio's (Nasdaq: SIRI) shares have been cut in half since peaking two years ago despite blowing past subscriber growth targets.

Um, yeah, but they continue to lose more and more money as they grow subscibers. Adding subscribers doesn't mean value's been added and the stock should go up.

Lest we not forget Krispy Kreme Donuts (KKD) which suddenly sprouted stores everywhere?

Take a look at earnings per share for SIRI (click to enlarge):

source: Factset Research Systems

What's worse, SIRI is not even profitable at the Gross Margin level. Ugh.

I'll give 'TMFBreakerRick' the benefit of the doubt - because I'm sure I've written some silly things before too.

Diversified Media Stocks: Enterprise Value / EBITDA

2006-07-29T00:11:00.000Z

Diversified Media Stocks: Enterprise Value / EBITDA

Posted on Jul 26th

Rob Zenilman submits: As of July 25 2006, positive Enterprise Value/ EBITDA (ttm) ratios of stocks covered in the Diversified Media sector ranged from 16.9 (UVN) down to 6.3 (MNI), with a median value of 8.4.

* View More Media Sector Charts *
Data in table version -- click on a ticker for opinion and analysis of the company:

		TTM	Enterprise	EBITDA	EV/
Ticker	Company	Ending	Value ($000)	($000)	EBITDA
BLC	Belo Corp.	05/10/06	$2,857.49	$385.31	7.4
CBS	CBS Corporation	05/09/06	$26,574.38	$3,193.50	8.3
CCU	Clear Channel Commun	05/10/06	$22,576.46	$2,145.62	10.5
DIS	Walt Disney Co.	05/09/06	$76,668.56	$6,109.00	12.6
DJ	Dow Jones & Co. Inc.	07/20/06	$3,657.93	$269.57	13.6
EMMS	Emmis Communications	07/07/06	$1,362.96	$99.76	13.7
GCI	Gannett Co. Inc.	07/12/06	$17,612.23	$2,282.63	7.7
JRN	Journal Communicatio	07/18/06	$1,017.37	$154.41	6.6
MNI	McClatchy Co.	07/13/06	$2,070.05	$327.71	6.3
NWSA	News Corp.	05/11/06	$65,954.31	$5,573.00	11.8
NYT	New York Times Co.	07/18/06	$4,790.12	$567.63	8.4
SVN	Sun-Times Media Grou	05/10/06	$417.93	-$9.93	-42.1
TRB	Tribune Co.	07/13/06	$12,035.41	$1,493.79	8.1
TWX	Time Warner Inc.	05/03/06	$93,286.02	$11,054.00	8.4
UVN	Univision Communicat	05/10/06	$11,557.63	$683.03	16.9
VIA-B	Viacom Inc.	05/12/06	$31,294.66	$2,935.00	10.7
WON	Westwood One Inc.	05/04/06	$1,006.48	$140.73	7.2
WPO	Washington Post Co.	05/10/06	$7,410.91	$745.41	9.9

Data: Capital IQ

Related:

NEAR EARTH IN THE NEWS

2006-07-29T00:07:00.000Z

NEAR EARTH IN THE NEWS
Talking Communications with Farrell Kramer, June 15, 2006, Great Expectations
J. Armand Musey provides insight on the current state of public company communications. For example, investors can find it more difficult to get a true sense for a company's management team now that most communications have become scripted and subject to legal review. Listen to the podcast

Space News, May 29, 2006, ContactMEO Pays $5 Million Bond to Secure FCC Authorization
J. Armand Musey, President of Near Earth, ContactMEO's financial advisor, said, "There is a tremendous interest among prospective investors today in bandwidth. The FCC authorization is a huge amount of spectrum, and we think that will be attractive to potential investors."

Wall Street Journal, May 5, 2006, BCE Listens to Bidders on Telesat, by Andy Pasztor
Near Earth LLC President J. Armand Musey is quoted saying, "[Telesat's orbital locations above North America] make it an extremely attractive asset."

SkyREPORT, April 19, 2006, OUTSIDE THE BOX: IPTV - The Death of Cable and Satellite?
Near Earth LLC presents a strategic analysis on the impact of IPTV on the U.S. cable and satellite providers. As the already saturated U.S. video market is poised to get even more competitive with the introduction of IPTV, the article looks at the winners and losers. The obvious winners will be the U.S. consumers with more choices and lower prices. Other beneficiaries are the rural cable operators and telcos (Please go to the "Analysis" section of this website to download the full article in the April issue of our monthly newsletter "From the Ground Up").

New York Society of Security Analysts (nyssanews), November 2005, Committee Spotlight: Corporate Governance
Committee vice chair J. Armand Musey is quoted saying, “We think this is an exciting year to discuss corporate governance issues. The bubble excesses and the emotional reaction are behind us, and a rational discussion of the issues is emerging.” In related news, Armand will chair the Career Chat on “Joining a Corporate Board – The Risks and Rewards” on November 17.

Aviation Week & Space Technology, September 26, 2005 – Page 10, Market Focus, by Joseph C. Anselmo
In early September, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon decided to get out of the satellite imagery industry by agreeing to sell Space Imaging to its competitor Orbimage Holdings, Inc. for $58.5 million. Near Earth President J. Armand Musey is quoted saying “The killer application on the commercial side never really materialized…Everyone thought that companies would suddenly find all kinds of uses for [satellite imagery] and they didn’t.”

Satellite News, September 12, 2005, Panamsat acquisition ‘Bad News’ for manufacturers if it goes through
Near Earth President J. Armand Musey suggested that it could be the satellites Intelsat acquired from Loral as part of Loral’s bankruptcy proceedings that could be put back on the market as a condition of the [U.S] government approving the acquisition.

Satellite Finance, September 1, 2005 – Page 21, ContactMEO hopeful of license windfall
ContactMEO, the prospective satellite broadband company, may receive a license from the FCC to push ahead with its plan to build, launch and operate three HEO and four GEO orbiting satellites in November. Near Earth LLC is advising ContactMEO on the financing round.

Wall Street Journal, August 19, 2005 – Page A3, Intelsat May Pull Rival Into Its Orbit, by Andy Pasztor
Near Earth President J. Armand Musey is quoted saying, "It [a merger between New Skies and Intelsat] would make good sense because of their complementary geographic coverage and the strong focus of New Skies on video services”, a relatively weak market segment for Intelsat.

Satellite Finance, July 14, 2005 – Page 3, Near Earth and Thomas Weisel Tie Up
The Near Earth and Thomas Weisel partnership is viewed as a good strategic fit. “This deal makes a lot of sense,” commented one banker. “Near Earth have been overworked for a while now and for Thomas Weisel, satellite is definitely a white spot.”

Space News, July 11, 2005, Thomas Weisel Partners and Near Earth announce satellite investment banking alliance
The Near Earth and Thomas Weisel partnership is viewed as a good strategic fit. “This deal makes a lot of sense,” commented one banker. “Near Earth have been overworked for a while now and for Thomas Weisel, satellite is definitely a white spot.”

Space News, February 28, 2005, Profile of Phil Spector, Near Earth Advisory Board member
The profile section in the February 28, 2005 issue of Space News featured Phil Spector, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Intelsat. Mr. Spector discusses his new job at Intelsat, the ORBIT act and other top regulatory issues facing the satellite industry (see full interview: “Switching Sides”).

Satellite Finance, January 19, 2005, Near Earth LLC mentioned in Satellite Finance’s League Tables 2004
The January 19, 2005 issue of Satellite Finance listed the 2004 league table for the top financial advisors for M&A deals. Near Earth received a mention for boutique investment banks with big potential in 2005.

Wall Street Journal, January 18, 2005 – Page A6, Lockheed Faces Quality Concerns After Failure of Intelsat Satellite, by Andy Pasztor
Near Earth President J. Armand Musey is quoted saying "Potential failures clearly are going to be highlighted in the minds of the new breed of investors [private equity firms]" in reference to how private equity firms would perceive the sector in light of recent failures.

Space News, January 17, 2005, Near Earth LLC profile
The profile section in the January 17, 2005 issue featured Near Earth LLC. Hoyt Davidson, Chairman, and J. Armand Musey, President, spoke with Space News about recent public and private equity markets, satellite radio and broadband via satellite (see full interview: “Investing in Success”).

Copyright © 2006, Near Earth LLC. All rights Reserved.

DVR Delay May Alienate DirecTV Customers: Report

2006-07-29T00:06:00.000Z

Market Scan
DVR Delay May Alienate DirecTV Customers: Report
Mary Crane, 07.24.06, 11:42 AM ET

DirecTV has delayed for the third time its new hi-definition digital video recorder, which could mean more customers will switch to competitors, according to a report from research firm Sanford C. Bernstein.

The new DVR was originally scheduled to launch early this year and is now being pushed back until the fall. Until recently, many customers have said they were willing to wait to upgrade to hi-definition television, or HDTV, until the new DVR is available.

"But," wrote Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett in a report to investors Monday, "we're skeptical investors will continue to give DirecTV a free pass."

Customers who have just spent money on expensive flat-panel hi-definition televisions may not be willing to wait for DirecTV to come up with its new offerings and could switch to competitor EchoStar's DISH satellite network or cable operators instead.

And for those that do stay with DirecTV, upgrades will mean a sharp uptick in retention-marketing costs.

"Product shortages will only delay the inevitable, in our view," Moffett said, as DirecTV continues to fall behind its cable peers in high-definition offerings, especially industry leader Comcast.

The analyst maintained a "market perform" rating and $16 price target on DirecTV.

(XM) XM's fading signal sparks takeover talk

2006-07-29T00:03:00.000Z

CNNMoney.com

XM's fading signal sparks takeover talk
Thursday July 27, 9:31 am ET
By Paul R. La Monica, CNNMoney.com senior writer

XM Satellite Radio has crashed and burned and now some are starting to wonder if the company could be a takeover target. Shares have plummeted more than 60 percent this year.

Tough competition from rival Sirius Satellite Radio, which now employs shock jock Howard Stern, appears to be taking a toll. XM lowered its year-end subscriber and revenue forecasts in May and cut its subscriber target again Thursday when it reported its second quarter financial results.

Analysts are also worried about increased advertising and promotional expenses as XM tries to stay ahead of Sirius.

The company is also facing regulatory headaches. The Federal Trade Commission is investigating marketing practices. And in May, the company halted the sales of two models of radios that emit signals over standard FM frequencies because the Federal Communications Commission said they did not meet transmission standards.

The hiring of a new president and chief operating officer on Monday hasn't eased Wall Street's concerns just yet either. Shares have fallen 7.5 percent so far this week as investors nervously prepared for the release of XM's second-quarter financial results.

And those numbers were not good. In addition to lowering its subscriber forecast, XM reported a wider than anticipated net loss of 87 cents a share. Wall Street was expecting a loss of 66 cents a share. Shares of XM fell more than 6 percent in pre-market trading Thursday on the news.

So could XM soon find itself acquired? After all, the stock is now trading at its lowest point since August 2003 and with a market value of about $2.7 billion, the company could conceivably be absorbed by Sirius, which is valued at $5.5 billion, or one of the two largest terrestrial radio firms, Clear Channel Communications or CBS.

There have been sporadic rumors during the past year about XM being a target of each of these companies.

In fact, Sirius chief executive officer Mel Karmazin said at a media conference in June that he would love to buy XM at the right price. However, he said he wasn't sure a deal would be approved by government agencies.

Analysts agree, saying that Karmazin's comments about a Sirius-XM merger are probably just a pipe dream for now.

Chad Bartley, an analyst with Pacific Crest Securities, points out that the Justice Department and FCC blocked a proposed merger between satellite TV firms DirecTV and EchoStar in 2002.

Based on that precedent, Bartley said it's highly doubtful that the government would look favorably on a deal between the only two satellite radio companies. XM currently has 6.9 million subscribers while Sirius has 4.7 million.

But David Bank, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets, said that an eventual merger between the two can't be ruled out. As more and more technologies emerge, such as digital radio and streams of music over cell phones, it may be easier for the two companies to argue that a Sirius-XM combination would not crush competition.

"I don't think a merger is viable at this point given the business concentration issues," Bank said. "But in three or four years you maybe could see a deal happening."

So what about the traditional radio firms? Big radio is struggling to hold onto listeners and is faced with sluggish ad sales growth. A steady stream of subscriber fees could help reignite growth.

"As people become more comfortable with the longer-term trajectory of satellite radio then XM could ultimately be attractive to outside investors," said Stuart Kagel, an analyst with Janco Partners. "A lot of larger media companies are bereft of high return on investment opportunities and satellite radio could be one."

Clear Channel, the nation's largest radio firm does own 8.3 million shares of XM, about a 3 percent stake, and also programs some of XM's music channels. But relations between the two companies have taken a sour turn lately.

Clear Channel and XM feuded over whether XM should air ads on the stations' Clear Channel programs. Commercial-free music has been a main selling point for XM, so the company resisted ads. But in March an arbitration panel ruled in favor of Clear Channel, forcing XM to air commercials.

The business arrangement between Clear Channel and XM is set to expire in 2008 and Clear Channel already has an agreement to sell its XM stake to Bear Stearns in that year as well. So it seems unlikely that Clear Channel and XM would kiss and make up and forge a larger deal.

That leaves CBS. The company has recently inked a program-sharing deal with XM and that has led to increased chatter about a deeper partnership between the two firms. In April, some CBS stations began airing shortened versions of XM's "Opie & Anthony" show.

That's a significant move for CBS since the two radio hosts were fired by CBS's radio business (then known as Infinity) in 2002 after they broadcast a couple having sex in New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral.

A CBS-XM deal would be juicy since Karmazin and Stern both used to work for CBS. And Stern has not hidden his dislike of CBS CEO Les Moonves. So having Moonves and CBS suddenly become Sirius' top competitor does make for a great battle of egos.

However, analysts don't believe the CBS-XM hype that much either.

Although XM is getting along better with CBS than Clear Channel right now, Bank said that it would be difficult for CBS, even with its market value of $20.7 billion, to justify a deal since it would hurt CBS's profits for the foreseeable future. Analysts don't expect XM to report positive cash flow on an annual basis until 2008.

"I don't really see XM as a viable target for one of the larger radio companies," Bank said. "The dilution would be substantial and I don't think they could withstand it."

Bartley adds that buying a satellite radio firm would put Clear Channel or CBS in the uncomfortable position of having to explain why listeners should now have to pay for radio broadcasts.

"Strategically, I don't think it fits. It would be a marketing 180 and counter to their view that radio should be free," he said.

So XM investors are in a difficult situation. Few deny the long-term growth prospects for satellite radio as more and more automakers begin to install units in their cars.

But for the short-term, increased competition, rising costs and regulatory concerns all paint a gloomy picture for XM. Legitimate takeover chatter might be the only thing to spark any interest, and so far all the talk is merely idle speculation.

"XM is a momentum stock without a whole lot of momentum right now," Bank said.

Analysts quoted in this story do not own shares of the companies mentioned and their firms have no investment banking relationships with the companies.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Static for Sirius and XM

CBS: Cheap Broadcasting Stock

Wall Street's ga-ga for radio

Investors Warm to DISH Merger Reports: BUSINESSWEEK

2006-07-28T23:53:00.000Z

JULY 27, 2006

Investing

By Alex Halperin

Investors Warm to DISH Merger Reports

BUSINESSWEEK

But experts warn that satellite TV is losing its appeal, as more consumers search out a single cable, phone, and Internet provider

The latest news from investors: There may soon be a wedding in the satellite TV industry. Shares of satellite television provider EchoStar Communications (DISH DTV ). But even with the stock reaching a 52-week high of $34.43 on July 27, the company still faces fierce competition, and some analysts remain pessimistic.

During Herbert Allen's annual media-mogul summit in Sun Valley, Idaho, earlier this month, a flurry of press reports and hints from involved parties suggested a possible deal between the companies. Citigroup analyst Jason Bazinet summed it up in a July 19 report, in which he upgraded EchoStar, generally regarded as the low-cost satellite provider, from sell to buy. He also raised its price target by 50% to $39 on the basis of a potential merger. (Citibank makes a market for EchoStar and has a business relationship with DirecTV).

), the name behind DISH Network, have soared amid speculation about the possibility of a merger with archrival DirecTV (OPEN TO MERGERS. There's a good reason to be skeptical that such a deal could take place. In 2002, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) turned down a proposed tie-up between the companies on the basis that it would be anti-competitive. At the time, the argument was especially relevant to areas where customers did not have the option of subscribing to cable and needed satellite to receive a broad range of channels.

Though a deal between the companies is only speculation, the environment might be more conducive to a merger than it was in 2002. Since the Idaho summit, News Corp. (NWS ) and DirecTV Chairman Rupert Murdoch told talk show host Charlie Rose that the deal could win FCC approval, given the options available for receiving video in the home. Both companies declined to comment for this story.

Ron Cowles, an analyst with Gartner, is inclined to agree. "Things are lining up a lot better than the last time," he says. The commission will have to compare EchoStar and DirecTV with all of the companies that provide, or will soon provide, similar video services—including cable and telephone outfits. In 2002, the commission had to weigh the two primarily against each other.

A STRONG STOCK. The communications industry is "ripe for consolidation," Cowles says. "There are too many players." He points out that the commission consists of three Republicans and two Democrats, and this would likely favor the deal as well.

The current feeling is that "big is basically getting bigger" says Standard & Poor's equity analyst Tuna Amobi, though he remains unenthusiastic about EchoStar. The FCC recently approved a bid from cable companies Time Warner (TWX ) and Comcast (CMCSA ) to split the assets of defunct Adelphia Communications. Advocates of that deal say it will speed up the cable companies' ability to roll out high-speed Internet and telephone services to customers.

Amobi calls the recent run-up of EchoStar stock an "unwarranted premium" that is unrelated to the company's fundamentals. He rates the stock a strong sell, with a $25 price target. "We don't even know if the companies are talking yet," he cautions.

LOSING ALLURE. Like Amobi, Citigroup's Bazinet remains unenthusiastic about satellite television as an industry; he downgraded EchoStar to sell in January before the recent upgrade. Aside from how EchoStar would benefit from a merger, he sees an upside for investors, even in the event of a failed merger. "In the intervening months—between a potential merger announcement and the subsequent regulatory review—EchoStar's shares could outperform," he writes.

Satellite may lose even more of its appeal, as consumers increasingly demand TV, phone, and Internet services from a single provider. A Bear Stearns report says satellite is "structurally challenged (vs. cable) given its inability to offer a bundled package of communication services." Citigroup chimes in, saying that they face "acute risks of slower subscriber growth and higher churn [customer turnover]."

Video service from both EchoStar and DirecTV can be bundled with voice and Internet services from other companies. However, just contributing video could be a tenuous position, as more consumers gain access to so-called "triple play" packages from a single provider.

CONTINUING COMPETITION. As a result, the satellite companies may be branching out. Fueling acquisition rumors, both outfits are listed among the owners of Wireless DBS, an entity that could bid in an upcoming FCC auction of "advanced wireless services," which could boost their presence in high-speed Internet delivery. The regulator's Web site lists the application as "incomplete."

Before the merger buzz, the shares were floundering. In 2005 the stock fell on the year to $27.18 from $33.22—even though DISH added some 1.1 million customers and saw a sharp boost in net income to $1.5 billion, on 18% higher revenues.

In the annual report for the year, Chairman Charles Ergen attributes the stagnation in the share price in part to tough competition. With cable and telephone rivals growing increasingly bold, the competition is likely to get even tougher—and EchoStar may yet want to consider synchronizing its orbit with DirecTV.

Halperin is a reporter for BusinessWeek.com in New York

Second Generation Power System For US Military

2006-07-28T23:50:00.000Z

Second Generation Power System For US Military

-MILTECH

by Staff Writers
Eatontown NJ (SPX) Jul 27, 2006
Millennium Cell has announced that Jadoo Power has selected Millennium Cell as a subcontractor under a recent program funded by the U.S. Military's Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

The two companies entered into a strategic licensing agreement in February 2006, providing a framework for the development of a chemical hydride N-Stor fuel canister for use with Jadoo's N-Gen and IFS24 products. This is the first military program on which the two companies have chosen to collaborate; efforts are under way to develop similar fuel canisters for use in commercial applications.

The new program is a follow-on effort to Jadoo's IFS24 power system which was designed to move soldier power from legacy battery solutions to advanced fuel cell technologies. The program focuses on the development of an alternative fuel solution based on Millennium Cell's sodium borohydride technology and Jadoo's N-Stor intelligent digital fuel interface.

Initially, the IFS24 was powered by a metal hydride fuel canister storage technology. The new fuel canister, to be delivered in 2007, will be significantly lighter than the metal hydride solution and will feature a disposable cartridge offering users increased flexibility and convenience at a lower price point.

Jadoo is the leading supplier of portable fuel cell power systems to such markets as law enforcement and first responders, where battery backup and support are critical. In addition, Jadoo is selling their fuel cell products in battery replacement markets such as professional broadcast video and military.

Millennium Cell's Hydrogen on Demand(r) technology provides Jadoo with a high energy density, safe and cost-effective fuel solution to complement its existing line of fuel cell power units. Jadoo's approach of using a standard N-Stor interconnect on all of its fuel storage canisters should allow the new cartridges to be compatible with all of Jadoo's existing fuel cell power products.

"We are excited to integrate our hydrogen storage technology with the innovative Jadoo Power N-Stor fuel interface. This solution will provide the military with a longer lasting, lower weight power source," said Adam Briggs, Millennium Cell President. "We look forward to pursuing additional military and commercial opportunities in order to fund the development of even higher performance fuel systems for Jadoo's products."

"Flexibility through standards is what consumers want," said Larry Bawden, President and CEO, Jadoo Power. "By leveraging the N-Stor digital intelligent interface, we are able to offer fuel options like the Millennium Cell Hydrogen on Demand without requiring customers to learn anything new. They use the product the same way as all N-Stors are used, but have a fuel option now that can deliver efficiencies 4X the levels of current battery technologies."

The Eagle has broken - first men on Moon used pen to fix lander: report

2006-07-28T23:49:00.000Z

SPACE WIRE

The Eagle has broken - first men on Moon used pen to fix lander: report
LONDON, July 24 (AFP) Jul 24, 2006
The first men on the Moon had to use a pen to fix a broken switch on their lunar module and return home to Earth, British newspaper the Daily Mirror reported Monday ahead of a new television documentary.

Neil Armstrong, the first man on the Moon, and Buzz Aldrin, his fellow astronaut, accidentally snapped off the switch of a circuit breaker, and found they could not take off without it.

Aldrin then jammed a ballpoint pen into the hole where the switch had been, allowing the astronauts' lunar module Eagle to leave the surface of the Moon.

According to the documentary "Apollo 11: The Untold Story", to be aired Monday on Britain's Channel Five television, the US was so eager to beat the Soviet Union to putting a man on the Moon, it launched its historic 1969 mission before it was completely prepared.

Then-president Richard Nixon even prepared an address to the nation announcing the deaths of Armstrong, Aldrin and Michael Collins.

"In looking around at some of the lunar dust on the floor, I discovered something that really didn't belong there -- a broken end of a circuit breaker," Aldrin told Channel Five in excerpts printed in the Daily Mirror.

"In the countdown procedure I used a pen, one of several that we had on board that didn't have metal on the end, and we used that to push the circuit breaker in."

The documentary also shows how the US government ordered NASA to cut links with the astronauts if disaster was imminent, not wanting the world to watch images of American astronauts spinning off into space.

Aldrin revealed how the astronauts believed they saw an unidentified flying object during the flight as well, adding that NASA covered it up for thirty years.

"There was something out there that was close enough to be observed," Aldrin said.

USAF Adds Billions To F-22 Raptor Costs

2006-07-28T23:47:00.000Z

MILPLEX

USAF Adds Billions To F-22 Raptor Costs

File photo: An F-22A raptor releases an air-to-air missile.

By Pamela Hess
Pentagon Correspondent
Washington (UPI) Jul 26, 2006
The U.S. Air Force's plan to buy up to 60 more F-22 fighter jets will cost $1.7 billion, the Government Accountability Office said.

The Air Force argues that the scheme will cut $3.7 million off the price of each of the aircraft -- saving a possible $225 million -- and that it is necessary to keep advanced U.S. fighter manufacturing lines active while the Joint Strike Fighter comes on line. Shutting down production lines can scatter experienced workers and often incurs the cost of warehousing manufacturing components.

The F-22 production line was supposed to go cold at the end of 2007, but the USAF sought and won congressional approval to stretch it out until 2010 via an amendment to the defense authorization bill.

It was not without controversy -- all four defense committees considered and rejected the amendment during deliberations on the bill. The amendment was proposed and accepted on the floor of the Senate and House this spring.

The increased number of F-22s -- from 56 to 60 -- has already been approved by Congress. At issue is whether to use a multi-year contract to complete the purchase. Under that arrangement, the Pentagon commits to paying for all the aircraft at once at a fixed price and budgets for them up front, rather than year-by-year, as is customary.

Contractors and program officials like it because it removes the volatility from major weapons systems buys and allows a single price to be negotiated; cost savings can result from this arrangement because the contractor is better able to manage supplies, employees and the pace of work. Critics of multi-year programs argue it locks the Pentagon into buying expensive weapons and ties up funding that might otherwise be better spent on urgently needed equipment not anticipated when the multi-year deal was approved -- like up-armored Humvees in Iraq, for instance.

Moreover, multi-year deals net major savings when they are done earlier in the production of a weapon system -- when there are more jets or tanks to be bought, the savings accrue at a higher rate.

According to the GAO, the multi-year contract will result in a 2.7 percent savings on each of the remaining aircraft, a total of about $225 million -- less than would normally be expected.

"Historically, when you do multi-year contracts, it's typically at least 10 percent plus savings as compared to single-year contracts," said David Walker, GAO comptroller general.

Multi-year contracts also have expensive termination clauses that give the contractor a big payout in the event the buy is truncated. Given the F-22's history, that is a possibility.

The F-22 procurement program has been extremely turbulent, with the Air Force having to cut the number it plans to purchase repeatedly over the last two decades. The initial buy was planned to be more than 750, which was cut to 648, then to 442 and eventually down to 179. Last minute cuts to various Air Force programs in December 2005 -- including the retirement of the F-117 stealth fighter and the U-2 spy plane -- allowed the service to add four more F-22s, bringing the total back up to 183.

"Our review indicates that DOD's proposal to add two years to the production period of the remaining F-22As and to procure the planes under a three-year, multi-year contract will cost the taxpayers $1.7 billion more than called for to procure the last two annual lots as compared to the amount previously provided in the fiscal 2006 budget," said David Walker, GAO comptroller general.

"It depends upon what you use as the baseline. You can make numbers do a lot of different things, depending upon what the baseline is," he told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

In the Fiscal Year 2006 budget, the Air Force proposed to buy 56 aircraft over two years, including 2006, which will end in September. In the Fiscal Year 2007 budget, it now wants 60 aircraft, stretched out over three years -- that is, adding two years to the end of the buy. The additional four aircraft fill out seven squadrons of F-22s.

"When you look at total cost, this is $1.7 billion more than they expected. Of that $1.7 billion, about $.7 billion is for the four additional aircraft and about a billion dollars is because we're stretching this out," said Walker. "You know, this program, depending upon how you want to calculate it, is anywhere from two to 15 years late, and now we're making it later."

Prime contractor Lockheed Martin has been awarded more than $800 million in incentive fees for its performance on the F-22, despite delays in the development program, Walker confirmed.

"I think part of the problem here is there's a difference between what people want and what we need and what we can afford and what we can sustain," said Walker.

Each F-22 aircraft costs an average of $185 million, according to the Congressional Budget Office, compared with the earlier generation F-15, which cost about $55 million, and the F-16, which cost about $25 million. The Air Force says it needs the F-22 to replace its aging fleet of fighters, and for its superior speed, weapons, and stealth properties.

Source: United Press International

China Looks To Space For Super Fruit And Vegetables

2006-07-28T23:46:00.000Z

SPACE TRAVEL

China Looks To Space For Super Fruit And Vegetables

Space-bred tomato and green peppers seeds have resulted in harvests between 10 and 20 percent larger than ordinary seeds, while vegetables grown from space-bred seeds have a higher vitamin content.

by Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) Jul 24, 2006
China intends to launch a satellite aimed at developing super space-enhanced fruit, vegetables and other crops, as it seeks ways to expand the nation's food production, state press said Monday.

The Shijian-8, a recoverable satellite, will be launched aboard a Long March 2C rocket in early September, for a two-week mission that will expose 2,000 seeds to cosmic radiation and micro-gravity, the China Daily reported.

The "seed satellite" will enable scientists to try to cultivate high-yield and high-quality plants, Sun Laiyan, head of the China National Space Administration, told the paper.

"Exposed to special environment such as cosmic radiation and micro-gravity, some seeds will mutate to such an extent that they may produce much higher yields and improved quality," the paper said.

Nine categories of seeds, including grains, cash crops and forage plants will be aboard the satellite, it said.

China has been experimenting with space-bred seeds for years, with rice and wheat exposed to the universe resulting in increased yields, the paper said.

Space-bred tomato and green peppers seeds have resulted in harvests between 10 and 20 percent larger than ordinary seeds, while vegetables grown from space-bred seeds have a higher vitamin content, it added.

However the satellite to be launched in September will be the first dedicated specifically for seeds.

China's space seed experiments come as the nation seeks ways to feed its 1.3 billion people amid a rapid decline in farming land due to swift industrialization.

The nation has pursued some forms of genetically modified crops, with GMO tomatoes, soy beans and corn already in production. China is also mulling plans to approve the production of genetically modified rice.

Source: Agence France-Presse

ESA Gives African Water Authorities Space-Tool Training

2006-07-28T23:44:00.000Z

WATER WORLD

ESA Gives African Water Authorities Space-Tool Training

A wide-swath radar image centered over Lake Tana, on the north central Amhara plateau, in Ethiopia. Tana is the largest lake in Ethiopia and forms the main reservoir for the Blue Nile. Image credit: ESA

by Staff Writers
Frascati, Italy (SPX) Jul 28, 2006
African researchers tackling water resource-management problems have gathered this week at ESA's Earth Observation Center in Frascati for a five-day TIGER Initiative training session aimed at facilitating the integration of satellite radar data into their work.

ESA launched its TIGER Initiative in 2002 following the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The primary objective of TIGER is to help African countries overcome problems faced in the collection, analysis and dissemination of water related geo-information by exploiting Earth Observation technology.

Freshwater is a scarce commodity across much of Africa and is projected to grow scarcer still. The continent's share of global freshwater is only 9 percent - a static resource in an ever-thirstier world.

Availability of freshwater is important not only for drinking and sanitation, but also to ensure food security - 60 percent of African food production comes from non-irrigated agriculture, leaving it vulnerable to climatic variations.

Researchers from Ethiopia, Cameroon, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Namibia, Morocco, Madagascar, Botswana and South Africa, representing selected African universities, research centers and public administrations involved with ongoing TIGER research projects are learning how to incorporate synthetic-aperture-radar image processing into their projects.

The SAR instrument onboard ESA's ERS satellites and the Advanced SAR onboard ESA's Envisat satellite use radar to map the surface of the planet below, with several different modes that allow broad views or detailed snapshots.

It is able to work day and night and penetrate clouds and bad weather to map the shape of the land, profile waves and ice, monitor land use and types of vegetation and measure some of the properties of the surface.

Topics being addressed at the training session include SAR principles and processing techniques, microwave techniques for hydrological applications, soil moisture estimation, flood mapping, vegetation monitoring and the fusion of SAR images and optical images.

Paolo Ferrazzoli of the University of Tor Vergata in Italy is one of the key lecturers and is teaching the trainees some basic physics in order to understand more clearly the content of SAR images, such as the variables for water-related applications.

"The information content of microwaves is different than optical information content, so by complimenting these two different information sources, we improve our capability to monitor all aspects related to water such as soil moisture, vegetation and wetlands," Ferrazzoli said.

The trainees all come from different regions of Africa and face specific water-related issues. For example, Madagascar's Fanja Vololona Razafindramasy of the University of Antananarivo wants to incorporate radar data into her study of erosion.

According to the World Bank for Madagascar, the country has a world-record erosion rate, which is a serious problem for a country whose economy relies on agricultural production.

The erosion is filling and clogging coastal waterways with sediment, which has resulted in some port facilities having to be moved inland to prevent ships running aground. By using SAR, it is possible to identify changes in land surface related to severe erosion process.

Freshwater is a limited natural resource in South Africa, which receives only around half the average rainfall of other countries.

Water availability is heavily dependent on climate, water use and management and land-use practices. The country's National Water Act of 1998 is based on the principles of sustainability of use and equity of water distribution.

"We are working with the Department of Water Affairs to help them monitor the new National Water Act that is starting to be implemented nationally," said South Africa's Willem Vorster of the Satellite Applications Center. "We want to see if we can monitor the effectiveness of this Act by using radar images."

One of the major development resources facing Morocco is the sustainable management of its water. According to the United Nations, in 2000 58 percent of the rural population lacked access to adequate sanitation, and 42 percent lacked access to drinking water.

Some two-thirds of Morocco's agricultural exports are produced by irrigated agriculture and consume 92 percent of the country's freshwater resources.

Ahmed Er Raji of the Centre Royal de Teledetection Spatiale in Morocco is training to use ASAR to help local authorities find more water resources for drinking, to monitor the extension of agricultural exploitation and to detect the vulnerable zones regarding excessive damping of ground water.

"When I return to Morocco we are planning to organise a training session with our partners and colleagues so I can share this information with them," Er Raji said.

Since the initiation of TIGER, more than 150 African organizations - including water and basin authorities, technical centers, universities and regional organizations - have become involved in different projects around the continent.

Related Links
Envisat
ESA

..............................

WATER WORLD

Kenya's tea production hit by drought
Nairobi (AFP) Jul 25, 2006
Kenyan tea production fell by 19 percent in the first half of 2006 to 134 million kilogrammes (295.4 million pounds) due to a drought in the first quarter of this year, marketers said on Tuesday.

WATER WORLD

Kenya's tea production hit by drought

Due to the drop in production, tea export volumes fell from the same period last year.

by Staff Writers
Nairobi (AFP) Jul 25, 2006
Kenyan tea production fell by 19 percent in the first half of 2006 to 134 million kilogrammes (295.4 million pounds) due to a drought in the first quarter of this year, marketers said on Tuesday.

Production declined by 32 million kilogrammes from 166 million (by 70.5 million from 366 million pounds) recorded during the same period last year, with the highest drop registered in tea growing regions in the Rift Valley Province, Tea Board of Kenya chief Sicily Kariuki said in a statement.

She attributed the decline to a severe drought that withered tea bushes in most tea growing regions.

"Despite the recovery of tea bushes owing to long rains experienced between the months of March and May, production shortfall recorded during the first quarter could not be offset due to subdued growth occasioned by the onset of the cold season weather," Kariuki added.

Due to the drop in production, tea export volumes fell from the same period last year.

However, traditional buyers in Ireland and Kazakhstan increased their tea imports from Kenya while Poland recorded a drop.

During the period, local tea consumption rose by 12 percent from 6.6 million kilos to 7.4 million kilos due to local promotion undertaken by the Board along with the tea packers.

Massive CubeSat Launch Fails

2006-07-28T23:40:00.000Z

LAUNCH PAD

Massive CubeSat Launch Fails
Newington CT (SPX) Jul 28, 2006
A much-heralded attempt to launch 15 CubeSats built by 11 universities and one private company failed this week. Fourteen of the tiny spacecraft carried Amateur Radio transmit-only payloads. All of the satellites appear to have been lost.

LAUNCH PAD

Massive CubeSat Launch Fails

The CubeSats (pictured) were designed and built by students at various universities in the US and elsewhere in the world.

by Staff Writers
Newington CT (SPX) Jul 28, 2006
A much-heralded attempt to launch 15 CubeSats built by 11 universities and one private company failed this week. Fourteen of the tiny spacecraft carried Amateur Radio transmit-only payloads. All of the satellites appear to have been lost.

The Dnepr-1LV rocket lifted off from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 1943 UTC on July 26. Various accounts indicate that the mission went awry less than two minutes after liftoff when the first stage failed to separate on time, causing an emergency shutdown of the rocket's main engine.

Reports vary on how far downrange -- and just where -- the vehicle fell. One said the Dnepr dropped to Earth some 15 km from the launch site, while another put the distance at 190 km. A third account said the Dnepr dropped into the Indian Ocean.

Originally set for June 28, the launch had been postponed until July 26. The CubeSat project was a collaboration between California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo and Stanford University's Space Systems Development Laboratory.

All of the CubeSats were designed and built by students at various universities in the US and elsewhere in the world. The CubeSat roster included AeroCube-1, CP-1, CP-2, ICE Cube-1, ICE Cube-2, ION, HAUSAT-1, KUTESat, MEROPE, nCube-1, RINCON, SACRED, SEEDS, PiCPoT and Voyager.

Thirteen of the satellites were to have downlinks in the Amateur Radio satellite allocation between 435 and 438 MHz, and one was to operate on 145.980 MHz. None of the spacecraft carried a transponder. Transmitter power outputs ranged from 10 mW to 2 W.

The Dnepr was the second to launch this month from Baikonur's Area 109. Other payloads included BelKA, the first Belarusian satellite, and three other microsatellites. According to Satellite Launch Report, the original Dnepr launcher was replaced by a different one in June after a problem was detected in the original vehicle's digital flight control system.

The Dnepr launch failure was said to be the first in seven orbital launch attempts. The Dnepr vehicle is a repurposed SS-18 "Satan" three-stage intercontinental ballistic missile, originally designed in the 1980s to compete with the US Peacekeeper missile. The START 2 treaty allowed up to 150 of the missiles to be converted for use as space launchers.

The Russian space agency has convened a special commission to look into the cause of the malfunction.

Boeing Completes Wideband Gapfiller Satellite Ground Compatibility Tests

2006-07-28T23:38:00.000Z

MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS

Boeing Completes Wideband Gapfiller
Satellite Ground Compatibility Tests

The Boeing Wideband Gapfiller satellite.

by Staff Writers
St. Louis MO (SPX) Jul 28, 2006
Boeing announced Thursday its Wideband Gapfiller Satellite program has successfully completed two more key space-to-ground compatibility tests with partners Universal Space Network and ITT Industries.

The joint tests, conducted at the Boeing Satellite Development Center in El Segundo, Calif., proved the interoperability between the satellite and two key ground control systems used during orbital operations.

Boeing said in a news release that it and and USN demonstrated the compatibility between the satellite's telemetry, command and ranging systems and USN's ground network. Testers controlled a WGS satellite via USN's ground network simulator at Boeing's mission control center in El Segundo.

USN's network of ground stations in Hawaii, Alaska and a collaborative station in Italy will play crucial roles during WGS transfer orbit operations and initial on-orbit testing.

"The successful completion of these two tests retires a significant amount of risk for the WGS program and further validates the compatibility of its satellite and ground equipment," said Claire Leon, Boeing WGS program director. "This keeps the WGS launch on track for 2007."

Boeing also verified telemetry and command interface compatibility between the satellite and the Gapfiller Satellite Configuration and Control Element. The GSCCE payload control system, designed by Boeing and ITT Industries, will be fielded at Wideband Satellite Communications Operations Centers around the world.

The tests confirmed the system's ability to properly configure the digital channelizer and the X-band phased array antennas, which are key elements of the WGS communications payload.

WGS is the key element of a high-capacity satellite communications system, designed to quickly disseminate large amounts of data to the warfighter.

With a growing need for bandwidth, including two-way, point-to-point, multicast and broadcast communications, the WGS satellites will provide additional network-centric communications capabilities for troops in the field.

Boeing is under contract to build three satellites for the WGS program. The U.S. Air Force also has authorized Boeing to begin non-recurring engineering and advanced procurement of parts for a fourth WGS satellite.

The WGS system is a multi-spacecraft constellation designed to provide improved communications support for the U.S. military.

BSkyB records drop in annual net profit

2006-07-28T23:35:00.000Z

SPACE WIRE

BSkyB records drop in annual net profit
LONDON, July 28 (AFP) Jul 28, 2006
British satellite broadcaster BSkyB reported on Friday a 5.0-percent in drop net profit during 2005-06, but offered a positive outlook owing to "strong demand" for its new services.

BSkyB, which during its financial year lost its monopoly to screen live English Premiership football, is looking to grow its business following the launch of high-definition television and broadband Internet services.

The company, led by James Murdoch, son of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, saw the number of subscribers receiving its satellite TV service direct to their homes climb above 8.0 million during the year to June 30.

However net profit fell to 551 million pounds (807 million euros, 1.024 billion dollars), compared with 578 million pounds a year earlier.

Pre-tax profit rose 1.0 percent to 798 million pounds in 2005/06, while revenue climbed 8.0 percent to 4.148 billion pounds.

"We have a clear vision for the future growth and direction of our business and we feel encouraged by the strong demand our customers show for new entertainment and communications services," James Murdoch said in comments accompanying the results.

"With a continued focus on providing more choice, flexibility and control, we feel confident as we look ahead to the substantial opportunity this market holds for us."

BSkyB saw its share price rise 1.64 percent to 559 pence in afternoon London trade. The capital's FTSE 100 index of leading shares, which lists BSkyB, dipped 0.09 percent to 5,924.30 points.

Britain's biggest pay-TV company meanwhile said it added 77,000 customers in the fourth quarter, taking its total direct-to-home customer base to 8.176 million. Over the year BSkyB gained 389,000 new subscribers, putting it on track to hit its target of 10 million customers by 2010.

BSkyB, which is 38-percent owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, said 11.1 percent of customers cancelled their subscriptions during the group's financial year, amid competition from companies offering digital television programmes either free or on a monthly-subscription basis.

In a bid to woo new customers, BSkyB launched in May its high-definition TV service, which offers viewers sharper pictures than its digital television satellite service. The high definition service had 38,000 customers by June 30, BSkyB said Friday.

BSkyB last week launched also a broadband service, as it looks to take on telecoms giants including BT Group, Carphone Warehouse and France Telecom's Orange in the market for high-speed Internet access.

BSkyB subscribers are entitled to a free basic broadband service but must pay a monthly subscriptions for a faster connection.

The group wants its broadband service to break even after three years and have more than 3.0 million customers by 2010.

BSkyB moved into broadband after buying telecoms firm Easynet in October 2005 for 211 million pounds.

The satellite group is meanwhile facing competition from US cable operator NTL, which has created the first British company to offer a "quadruple-play" package of television, broadband, fixed-line and mobile telecoms services.

BSkyB has built much of its success during the past decade on winning exclusive rights to screen live coverage of English Premiership football.

But earlier this year, Irish pay-TV operator Setanta broke the monopoly, winning the rights to show 46 matches per season between 2007 and 2010. BSkyB will show 92 live matches per season.

The TV rights auction generated 1.7 billion pounds for the Premier League, which runs the Premiership, with BSkyB paying 1.3 billion pounds.

BSkyB lost its monopoly after the European Commission threatened the Premier League with legal action.

The commission had said the monopoly deprived fans of choice, led to higher prices and discouraged innovation.

Satcom Resources Calculators

2006-07-28T23:34:00.000Z

Here are a couple of useful calculators.

Many of these calculators are built using Javascript and thus for accurate results we reccomend that you use a recent version of a browser, preferably Microsoft Internet Explorer. Should you have any difficulty using the tools, please email your questions to info@satcomresources.com, and we can run the calculation for you.

Antenna Pointing Calculator
Calculate elevation and azimuth antenna pointing angles for any satellite from any location.

Sun Outage Predictor
Predict semiannual sunfade times for any satellite based on your location, and hardware.

dbWatts to Watts Conversion
Convert dbWatts to Watts and vice-versa

ERP/EIRP Conversion
Calculate your Effective Radiated Power(ERP) and Effective Isotropic Radiated Power(EIRP) based on your antenna gain and Transmitter Power Output(TPO)xa

System G/T
Calculate your System Gain to Noise Temperature Ratio

Antenna Effeciency Calculator
Calculate your Antenna Effeciency based on Receive Gain, Frequency, and Diameter.

Downlink Budget
Calculate a rough downlink budget.

DVB Bitrate Calculator
Calculate your DVB Bitrate at a variety of modulations based on your occupied bandwidth, rolloff factor, and FEC specification.

Rain Maps
Use these maps to predict Rain Rates in various parts of the globe, and the level of signal degredation to be expected with such rates.

China mulls earthquake monitoring satellite

2006-07-28T23:14:00.000Z

China mulls earthquake monitoring satellite
Hindu, India - July 28
Beijing, July 28 (PTI): China, a victim of frequent and disastrous earthquakes, plans to launch a special satellite during the next five year plan period (2011-15) to predict tremors and save lives.
Satellite to help predict earthquakes People's Daily Online
China's 1st lunar satellite to be launched in 2007: Official Zee News
China Set To Launch First Lunar Satellite In 2007 All Headline News
all 4 related »

Samsung Unveils Its Thinnest Satellite TV Phone

2006-07-28T23:13:00.000Z

http://www.cio.com/blog_view.html?CID=23407

Samsung Unveils Its Thinnest Satellite TV Phone

JUL 28, 2006 07:06:46 AM | Permalink

Samsung Electronics has taken the wraps off a new cell phone that can receive radio and TV broadcasts direct from satellite.

The SCH-B500 phone is the thinnest handset yet to support the service, which is called satellite digital mobile broadcasting (S-DMB) and is available only in South Korea. It’s 13.5 millimeters thick, which is about half the thickness of first-generation models that went on sale in early 2005, and is 101 millimeters long by 52 millimeters wide. It weighs 100 grams, which is also lighter than earlier models.

The phone is compatible with the CDMA2000 1x EVDO cellular standard and packs a 2-megapixel digital still camera, a QVGA resolution (240 by 320 pixels) display, MP3 player, Bluetooth, document view and TV output. There’s also an audio book feature that will read aloud three fairy tales in any of four languages: Korean, Chinese, Japanese and English.

Samsung SCH-B500

Like other similar phones, the SCH-B500 will be available only in South Korea. The S-DMB signal from local provider TU Media covers only the Korean mainland, so it wouldn’t be very useful in other regions anyway. No price was provided.

-Martyn Williams, IDG News Service (Tokyo Bureau)

Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage.

Korean Satellite Launch Is a Success

2006-07-28T23:02:00.000Z

Korean Satellite Launch Is a Success

The second multipurpose non-military satellite Arirang II was launched successfully on July 28.

Arirang II has a one-meter optical camera, which is the highest quality camera for non-military use.

With this success, Korea became the seventh country that possesses a high resolution satellite following the countries such as the U.S. and China.

“Arirang II succeed in launching at Base Plesetsk which is 800km away northeast from Moscow at 4:05p.m.,” the Ministry of Science and Technology and Korea Aerospace Research Institute said that day.

www.donga.com

S Africa set to launch space agency

2006-07-28T23:01:00.000Z

SOUTHERN REGION NEWS

S Africa set to launch space agency

JOHANNESBURG, July 28 -- The South African government has approved the establishment of the South African Space Agency, Government Communications said in a statement received here on Friday.

The agency would be an institutional vehicle for the coordination and implementation of South Africa's national space science and technology programs.

"The agency will conduct long-term planning and implementation of space-related activities in South Africa for the benefit of all citizens," the statement said.

It would coordinate its activities closely with the South African Council for Space Affairs and stakeholders, and would report to the Minister of Science and Technology.

South Africa's remarkable progress over the past decade in the fields of space science and astronomy is set to generate billions of rands in foreign investment. Science and Technology Minister Mosibudi Mangena said in May that the country was poised to take the lead in African space and astronomy programs through the establishment of a South African Space Agency.

"We are establishing (this) to unite the work of several institutions and harness these capacities to leverage billions of rands through which we hope to boost the economy and create more jobs.

According to the an earlier report, South Africa's second satellite would be launched this year. The project will expand South African satellite-engineering capabilities in a bid to develop a cluster of satellites.

The cluster would be know as the African Resource Management Constellation.

The vision is to develop and build in Africa satellites that can assist in disaster prediction and mitigation, projection of crop yields, and a host of other applications. Other industrial applications are likely to spin off from this process.

South Africa had also signed bilateral agreements with the Russian Space Agency, which has expressed an interest in launching satellites from South Africa.

It had also signed partnership and cooperation agreements with the European Space Agency and Nasa (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) in the United States. - xinhuanet

SOUTHERN REGION NEWS

S Africa set to launch space agency

JOHANNESBURG, July 28 -- The South African government has approved the establishment of the South African Space Agency, Government Communications said in a statement received here on Friday.

The agency would be an institutional vehicle for the coordination and implementation of South Africa's national space science and technology programs.

"The agency will conduct long-term planning and implementation of space-related activities in South Africa for the benefit of all citizens," the statement said.

It would coordinate its activities closely with the South African Council for Space Affairs and stakeholders, and would report to the Minister of Science and Technology.

"We are establishing (this) to unite the work of several institutions and harness these capacities to leverage billions of rands through which we hope to boost the economy and create more jobs.

The cluster would be know as the African Resource Management Constellation.

South Africa had also signed bilateral agreements with the Russian Space Agency, which has expressed an interest in launching satellites from South Africa.

It had also signed partnership and cooperation agreements with the European Space Agency and Nasa (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) in the United States. - AFRICAST TV http://news.africast.com/africastv/article.php?newsID=59421

The Perform Bill: Satellite, traditional radio join in royalty fight

2006-07-28T22:49:00.000Z

ANALYSIS - Satellite, traditional radio join in royalty fight

Reuters India Sat Jul 29, 2006 2:39 AM IST

By Sue Zeidler

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Traditional radio companies and satellite radio broadcasters may be locked in a war for listeners, but the two rivals are united in a battle against the recording industry over royalties.

The dispute centers on what radio companies say is a legislative effort by the recording industry to raise royalties and restrict certain recording technologies, which are both at the heart of a multi-billion dollar lawsuit filed against XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.

Earlier this month, XM asked a federal judge to throw out the record industry suit that claimed it turned its portable radio, the Pioneer Inno, into a music-download service without paying the higher royalty fees required.

XM says the Inno does not allow consumers to transfer content and that programming recorded from its broadcasts is not on-demand like songs people buy from online music stores like Apple Computer Inc.'s popular iTunes service.

The suit is part of the music industry's aggressive legal strategy to curb copyright piracy in the digital age that has left it embroiled in battles to block various new technologies from MP3 players to peer-to-peer file-sharing technology.

While the industry scored a victory this week in winning a $100 million settlement from long-time file-sharing foe, Kazaa, some industry watchers believe it has overreached in turning a legitimate business like XM into an antagonist.

They said XM's new alliance with over-the-air broadcasters could hurt the recording industry's legislative efforts.

"Every time new technologies are developed that would enhance consumers' lives, the content community complains the sky is falling," said Clear Channel Communications Inc., the nation's biggest radio operator.

A dozen radio company chief executives sent a letter last week urging Arlen Specter, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to postpone consideration of the Perform Act, citing the uncertainty of the pending XM lawsuit.

And this week, Specter, a Republican from Pennsylvania, wrote California Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a backer of the legislation, saying he thought it unwise to try to move the bill through the committee unless a consensus is reached.

Few expect action on the bill before Congress returns from its upcoming summer recess.

"Currently there is no scheduled judiciary committee action on the bill and the Senate will adjourn for its August recess next Friday," a committee aide said.

The record industry is still optimistic. "We understand the chairman has indicated he is committed to continuing the process... and is hopeful that a resolution can be reached promptly," said Mitch Glazier, executive vice president for the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Clear Channel's Mark Mays, as well as the CEOs of Cox Radio, Entercom Communications Corp and Emmis Communications Corp all signed the letter to Specter.

Traditional radio broadcasters, who are currently overhauling their medium to compete digitally, worry the Perform Act could serve to restrict their roll-out of new devices with recording capabilities.

And while traditional broadcasters have always been exempt from paying artists and record labels for music they air on terrestrial radio, they have been required since 1998 to pay royalties for simulcasting broadcasts on the Web.

As it stands, broadcasters pay under a higher rate standard than satellite radio companies when they simulcast their radio programming on the Internet.

Record industry executives say the broadcasters want to use the bill to roll back this 8-year obligation to pay for streaming.

"The Perform Bill would equalize the rate standard for all types of broadcasts, regardless of whether it originates from a satellite or on the Internet," said RIAA's Glazier.

Hilary Rosen, a former RIAA chief executive who now serves as a consultant to XM, says the music industry used to have an ally with satellite radio, and one that provided royalties.

"But with its attack on XM, it now has created a very strong alliance between broadcasters and satellite radio companies," said Rosen.

Satcom Resources Satellite Industry News

2006-07-24T23:47:00.000Z

Satcom Resources

SATELLITE INDUSTRY NEWS

HEADLINE: XM Satellite Radio, ASCAP Enter Contract (AP via Yahoo! Finance)

STORY:   XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. said Monday it signed a five-year music
licensing agreement with the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers.

FULL STORY

HEADLINE: China Plans to Launch First Seed-breeding Satellite (AnandTech)

STORY:  The Shijian-8 will be China's first seed breeding satellite...

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: XM Satellite Radio Appoints COO (AP via Yahoo! Finance)

STORY:   XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., said Monday it appointed Nate Davis to
the newly created position of president and chief operating officer.

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: China 'seed satellite' to be launched (UPI)

STORY:  BEIJING, July 24 (UPI) -- Chinese space agency officials say their nation's
first satellite designed for seed breeding is slated to be launched in September.

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: XM Satellite Radio Names Nate Davis President and Chief Operating Officer (SYS-CON Media)

STORY:  Hugh Panero, Chief Executive Officer, XM Satellite Radio, today announced
the appointment of Nate Davis to the newly created position of President and Chief
Operating Officer.

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: Satellite radio to mount on your chopper (Boston Globe)

STORY:  You've got the wind in your hair, bugs in your teeth, and your sweetheart
wrapped around you as you turn north for that New Hampshire weekend. The only thing
missing from your hog is some of that commercial-free heavy metal you get with
satellite radio. Now many Harley owners can mount an XM satellite radio, the Road
Tech AL20, to ...

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: Tokyo implements world's first satellite multimedia service for taxis - Americas Network (America's Network)

STORY:  Japanese company Mobile Broadcasting and Sapporo-based taxi company Daikoku
Kotsu will introduce MobaHO!, the world's first satellite digital multimedia
broadcasting service for personal and mobile device use, for taxi customers this
month, Japanese media reports said.

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: ALTAMIR & CIE : ALTAMIR and AMBOISE INVESTISSEMENT invest in FRANCE TELECOM MOBILE SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS (Boursorama)

STORY:  Paris, 24 July, 2006 ? Funds advised by Apax Partners France, together with
Altamir and Amboise Investissement, have signed an agreement with France Telecom to
acquire 100% of the shares of France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications SA
(FTMSC). The completion of the transaction is expected in the near future.

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: NHPCO Opens Satellite Office at the Duke Institute on Care at the End of Life (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)

STORY:   With the goal of expanding the scope of community engagement efforts and
deepening the relationship between organizations, the National Hospice and
Palliative Care Organization proudly announces the opening of its first satellite
office housed at the Duke Institute on Care at the End of Life, based at Duke
University Divinity School in Durham, NC.

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: Is a Satellite Merger In the Stars? (The New York Sun)

STORY:  For several months, the video industry has speculated on whether News Corp.,
owner of DirecTV and much more, will acquire EchoStar, thus combining the two
satellite television platforms. An earlier attempt at a similar merger did not
succeed, but, as the old saying goes: try, try again. Nearly five years ago, the
CEO of EchoStar, Charlie Ergen, tried to purchase DirecTV from then-owner General

FULL STORY: LINK

SATCOM INDUSTRY NEWS

HEADLINE: Northrop Grumman Delivers Network-Centric Technology for US Army SATCOM On-the-Move (Space War)

STORY:  by Staff Writers San Diego CA (SPX) Jul 21, 2006 Northrop Grumman has
delivered an advanced and compact power amplifier for the U.S. Army that is capable
of enabling the transformation of battlefield communications for its network-centric
Future Force.

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: Australian Nine Network Chooses Canadian SkyTrac Systems to Provide Satcom Services (Rotorhub)

STORY:  ?Our communication capability is greatly enhanced with SkyTrac on board our
aircraft ? there is no doubt about it? John Gilpin, Communications Engineer for the
Nine Network Australia said yesterday ? ?We recognize that satellite communications
is now a proven and useful technology and that SkyTrac is the aviation industry
leader.

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: Hypres gets funding for 'frozen chips' (EETimes)

STORY:  Hypres Inc., a developer of superconducting microelectronics technology,
has received $800,000 in funding for use in developing cryogenic "frozen chips" and
packages.

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: Boeing Announces C-130 Total Life Extension Program (Space War)

STORY:  by Staff Writers Farnborough, England (SPX) Jul 21, 2006 The Boeing Company
today announced a new program that will extend the service life of C-130 aircraft up
to 30 years.

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: HYPRES Receives $800K to Further Develop Cryopackage and Superconductor Analog-to-Digital Converter for Defense (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)

STORY:   ELMSFORD, N.Y.----July 24, 2006--HYPRES, Inc., a leading developer of
superconducting microelectronics technology, recently received $800K in SBIR
Phase II Plus contract additions from the Department of Defense in support of its
effort to develop a compact cryocooler and its superconducting 2 MHz-2 GHz
direct-conversion all digital receiver -- both key components in the company's work
to deliver FULL STORY:               LINK

HEADLINE: U.S. Navy Selects TCS for SATCOM Terminal Program (SYS-CON Media)

STORY:  TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS)(NASDAQ: TSYS), a leading provider
of mission-critical wirelesscommunications, today announced it has been notified
by Space and NavalWarfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center in North Charleston, SC, that
it has beenselected as one of eight vendors to provide satellite
communications products under a five-year program. The program objective is to
increasethe

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: EMS SATCOM part of deal with French Navy (Ottawa Business Journal)

STORY:  Ottawa-based EMS SATCOM will share in a contract to supply video, high-speed
data and voice services to the French Navy's maritime patrol aircraft.

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: Thales Selects EMS SATCOM Broadband Technology for Air Transport (PrimeZone via Yahoo! Finance)

STORY:   EMS SATCOM, a division of EMS Technologies, Inc. , reported today that,
in collaboration with Thales, it will provide high-speed mobile satellite
communications systems to OnAir for use on Airbus aircraft.

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: U.S. Navy Selects TCS for SATCOM Terminal Program (Market Wire via Yahoo! Finance)

STORY:   TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSYS), a leading provider of
mission-critical wireless communications, today announced it has been notified
by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center in North Charleston, SC, that it has
been selected as one of eight vendors to provide satellite communications products
under a five-year program. The program objective is to increase the effectiveness
of

FULL STORY: LINK

HEADLINE: French Navy Maritime Patrol Selects EMS SATCOM Broadband for Video, High-Speed Data and Voice on Multi-Mission Maritime (PrimeZone via Yahoo! Finance)

STORY:   EMS SATCOM, a division of EMS Technologies, Inc. ,
and Eclipse, reported today that the French Navy has selected a team
composed of France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications and Eclipse
to provide the EMS SATCOM eNfusion Broadband High-Speed Data solution
for six of its Maritime Patrol aircraft, with an option for two more.

FULL STORY: LINK

Northrop Grumman Delivers Network-Centric Technology for US Army SATCOM On-the-Move

2006-07-24T23:45:00.000Z

MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS

Northrop Grumman Delivers Network-Centric Technology for US Army SATCOM On-the-Move

File photo of a mobile satcom terminal.

by Staff Writers
San Diego CA (SPX) Jul 21, 2006
Northrop Grumman has delivered an advanced and compact power amplifier for the U.S. Army that is capable of enabling the transformation of battlefield communications for its network-centric Future Force. Army Future Force concepts include bringing integrated voice, video and data from joint forces to troops on the ground.

This vision requires high data rate, wideband satellite communications (SATCOM) operating at extremely high frequencies. This also requires low-cost SATCOM terminals and an efficient, scalable system that is compact and maximizes available power for the transmit distances needed by warfighters.

Northrop Grumman developed an extra-high-frequency, solid-state power amplifier (EHF SSPA) capable of attaining high power output in a small form factor. The company also demonstrated that the design was scalable to higher power levels. These factors are crucial for Army on-the-move systems.

In developing the power amplifier, Northrop Grumman used low-loss combiner techniques coupled with advanced low-cost module technology to provide the best blend of high-output power, high efficiency and low recurring cost.

"We were looking for innovative technologies in this effort for reducing amplifier size and weight and improving affordability for SATCOM on-the-move systems," said John Nilsen of the Army's Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Command. "The successes we had brought us closer to realizing high data rate, integrated voice, video and data at the Humvee and Future Combat Systems (FCS) vehicle level."

Highly Mobile Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs), known as Humvees, and FCS vehicles are important mobile and agile elements of the Army's Future Force. Small, affordable, multiband SATCOM on-the-move capabilities are essential for enabling full network-centric connectivity on these platforms where available size, weight, power and cost are extremely limited.

Northrop Grumman's EHF SSPA was developed under the Army Communications-Electronics Research Development and Engineering Command to meet specific Program Manager, Warfighter Information Network -- Tactical (PM WIN-T), High-Capacity Communications Capability (HC3) objectives. The Army's PM WIN-T office is leading the HC3 effort to ensure the efficient network-centric operations of future information nodes and terminals.

Northrop Grumman Space Technology has been the recognized leader of software-defined radios and associated technologies for more than two decades.

Related Links
Northrop Grumman Corporation

MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS

Boeing Announces C-130 Total Life Extension Program
Farnborough, England (SPX) Jul 21, 2006
The Boeing Company today announced a new program that will extend the service life of C-130 aircraft up to 30 years. The C-130 Total Life Extension (TLE) program addresses several aircraft modernization needs, including avionics, wiring, structures and systems.

Murdoch Says Climate Favors DirecTV-EchoStar Union (Update1)

2006-07-23T18:13:00.000Z

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aSkCWzBA9Ll0&refer=home

Murdoch Says Climate Favors DirecTV-EchoStar Union (Update1)

July 21 (Bloomberg) -- News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch said U.S. regulators would find it difficult to reject a merger of his DirecTV Group Inc. and rival satellite television provider EchoStar Communications Corp.

The union of the two, the largest U.S. satellite operators, would pose less of a threat to competition than in the past because consumers have more ways to get news and entertainment, Murdoch said in an interview yesterday on the ``Charlie Rose'' television show.

``There are so many alternatives, ways of getting pictures and information,'' Murdoch said. ``I think it would be much harder for the government to turn it down.''

Murdoch didn't say whether News Corp. or DirecTV is in talks to buy the smaller EchoStar, or whether he wants to bid for it. Antitrust regulators rejected EchoStar's attempt in 2001 to buy DirecTV when it was a unit General Motors Corp. New York-based News Corp. purchased a controlling stake in DirecTV in 2003.

Shares of Englewood, Colorado-based EchoStar gained 41 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $33.39 at 2:31 p.m. New York time in Nasdaq Stock Market composite trading. They climbed 21 percent this year before today. DirecTV rose 15 cents to $16.80 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading and had gained 18 percent this year.

The Los Angeles Times reported on July 17 that El Segundo, California-based DirecTV is considering a bid. A merger is more likely since EchoStar and DirecTV formed a joint venture to bid for wireless spectrum in an auction next month, Citigroup analyst Jason Bazinet wrote in a July 19 note.

`Risky Process'

Regulatory hurdles for a combination may be high even in today's more competitive environment, UBS Securities analyst Aryeh Bourkoff said. DirecTV and EchoStar may be better off focusing on building their businesses separately, he said in an interview.

``Everyone in Washington says it would be tough still,'' said Bourkoff, who rates shares of both companies ``neutral'' and doesn't own either. ``Also, wouldn't it be risky for these two companies to go through a merger process for a year-plus while cable and telecom get aggressive in the marketplace?''

EchoStar Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Charles Ergen told analysts on a May 11 conference call that while he wants Echostar to remain independent, the two companies ``have a lot of synergies.'' He said then he didn't know if regulators would allow the companies to merge.

``I bet $600 million we could get it through three or four years ago,'' Ergen said. ``Obviously the market is much more competitive today.''

EchoStar spokeswoman Heather Black and News Corp. spokesman Andrew Butcher couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Among the issues in negotiations, Murdoch said, would be the ``question of who is going to run it.'' Ergen probably would want to continue running the business, ``at least for a while,'' Murdoch said. He didn't say whether he would accept such an arrangement.

To contact the reporter on this story:

Michael White in Los Angeles at  Mwhite8@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: July 21, 2006 14:37 EDT

Planting Crops from Space: Shanghai Daily

2006-07-23T17:50:00.000Z

Shanghai Daily

Satellite with seeds to launch

2006-07-24

CHINA will launch its first satellite for breeding plant seeds in September at the Jiuquan satellite launch center, said officials on Saturday.

The satellite will make a 15-day space flight, said officials with the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. A Saturday conference marked the building of the breeding satellite, Shijian-8, which is to carry 2,000 shares of plant seeds in nine categories and 180 groups. That includes seeds of grains, cash crops, and forage plants, as well as seeds of fungi and molecular biomaterials.

ESA to help Europe prepare for space tourism

2006-07-22T00:37:00.000Z

ESA to help Europe prepare for space tourism
Southwest Nebraska News, NE - 9 hours ago
With summer here, many people are thinking about their holiday destination. At the European Space Agency, this means thinking about a holiday in space!

Article Posted: 07/21/2006 9:27:38 AM
ESA to help Europe prepare for space tourism

With summer here, many people are thinking about their holiday destination. At the European Space Agency, this means thinking about a holiday in space! ESA is planning to help up to three private companies develop business plans to get their space tourism ventures off the ground.

The new initiative is called 'The Survey of European Privately-funded Vehicles for Commercial Human Spaceflight', and is part of ESA's General Studies Programme (GSP), whose role is to assess the feasibility of mission concepts. Under this initiative, private companies across Europe already involved in planning activities for space tourism are invited to submit their space tourism plans.
ESA's General Studies Programme will select up to three of the proposals for further study. Each selected company will receive 150,000 Euro to further develop their plans. A team of experts from ESA's Launchers Directorate, who are involved in the development of the technologies for the next generation launcher, will manage the selected studies and share their expertise with the companies.

The aim of the study will be to critically review the spacecraft design and mission profiles, ensuring they are technically feasible, and develop sound business plans in order to allow companies to approach potential investors. An interesting aspect of the study will be to define the experiences the space tourists can expect, such as how much time they will spend in weightlessness, how much training they will need and how fit they need to be.

ESA's interest in space tourism has been increasing thanks to a number of internal studies conducted over the last three years. In each case, the studies showed the potential for developing the commercial human spaceflight market. This is the first time an ESA study aims to involve private companies working in the development of crewed space vehicles for the space tourism market.

This study is set to provide interesting inputs to ESA's technology programmes, while at the same time establish links between ESA and the space tourism industry.

SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA NEWS

Indian Space Satellite Saves 30 Lives On Board Panama Ship

2006-07-21T21:13:00.000Z

Indian Space Satellite Saves 30 Lives On Board Panama Ship

July 21, 2006 7:02 a.m. EST

Jacob Cherian - All Headline News Staff Writer

Bangalore, India (AHN) - The Indian Space Research Organization's (ISRO) satellite-based search and rescue network has helped save 30 crew of a Panama ship called 'Glory Moon.'

A press release said the ship was lost in Sri Lankan waters as a result navigation and communication system failures following a fire on board.

ISRO's geostationary communication satellite INSAT 3A was able to relay the first transmitted distress signals that were still operational on board the Glory Moon.

ISRO's Indian Mission Control Center (INMCC) in Bangalore was able to detect the signals and sent the Indian Coast Guard on search and rescue operations.

The press statement specified, though the ship was stranded in Sri Lankan waters, it was due to the INMCC initiative that all 30 members of the crew were rescued.

India is part of the international COSPAS-SARSAT program for providing distress alert and position location service through the LEOSAR (Low Earth Orbit Search and Rescue) satellite system. The program provides two Local User Terminals (LUTs), one in Lucknow and the other in Bangalore. The INMCC is situated at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Banglore.

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Walk in Space for $15 Million (Plus Airfare)

2006-07-21T21:08:00.000Z

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/21/science/space/21adventure.html

July 21, 2006

Walk in Space for $15 Million (Plus Airfare)

By JOHN SCHWARTZ

The company that sent the first tourists to space is about to start offering its clients an alluring add-on: a spacewalk.

Space Adventures Ltd., a company based in Vienna, Va., that has sent three very wealthy men to orbit the earth on the International Space Station, is planning to announce today that future customers will be able to take an hour-and-a-half trip outside the station as well.

The price? Just $15 million, on top of the $20 million for the flight itself. For people who can afford $20 million for a 10-day vacation, the extra $15 million might seem like little more than overtipping.

The spacewalks have been approved by the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation, which provides training and transportation to the station on Soyuz rockets, said Eric Anderson, the chief executive of Space Adventures.

Using the initials for extravehicular activity, the technical term for a spacewalk, Aleksei Krasnov, director of the Russian space agency, said in a statement that space tourists “could potentially perform an EVA” with a month’s training, and if they had the proper “physical and psychological capabilities.” The Russians have been eager to commercialize space and get most of the fees that Space Adventures collects.

A NASA spokeswoman, Melissa Mathews, said the agency had not been informed by Russia about any intention to sell EVA’s.

Fewer than 450 people have traveled to space, and the club of spacewalkers is even more exclusive. Just 151 people have stepped outside the relative safety of their craft to greet the void with only a visor to separate life and death.

“Spacewalk is the ultimate experience that we’ve managed to invent as humans,” said Tom Jones, a former astronaut and spacewalker who is an adviser to Space Adventures.

Being outside the craft when “there’s nothing between you and the ground below but empty space,” he said, is “incomparable.”

As for the nausea and vomiting that some astronauts experience, and which could preclude a spacewalk, Mr. Jones said “almost everybody feels good after two or three days.”

Warming to the idea of another shot at that view, he said, “I think if I had 15 million, I’d go for it.”

Aircraft For Sale
You Searched For: All Listings
Number Of Matches: 8
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YEAR MANUFACTURER MODEL	PRICE (US $)	LOCATION

Piston Single Aircraft
NEW 2003 EADS/SOCATA TB-21 GT TRINIDAD	$431,670	FL

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Updated: Jun 5 2006 2:47PM

NEW 2003 EADS/SOCATA TB-20 GT TRINIDAD	$418,640	FL

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Socata Aircraft, Inc. Phone: (954)893-1400 Fax: (954)964-0805	Details & Photo(s) Send a Message Add To 'Aircraft Of Interest'
Updated: Jun 19 2006 9:22AM

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Socata Aircraft, Inc. Phone: (954)893-1400 Fax: (954)964-0805	Details & Photo(s) Send a Message Add To 'Aircraft Of Interest'
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2004 EADS/SOCATA TBM 700C2	Call	FL

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Socata Aircraft, Inc. Phone: (954)893-1400 Fax: (954)964-0805	Details & Photo(s) Send a Message Add To 'Aircraft Of Interest'
Updated: Jul 12 2006 8:35AM

2000 EADS/SOCATA TBM 700B	$1,995,000	FL

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Socata Aircraft, Inc. Phone: (954)893-1412 Fax: (954)964-0805	Details & Photo(s) Send a Message Add To 'Aircraft Of Interest'
Updated: Jun 5 2006 2:47PM

2001 EADS/SOCATA TBM 700B	$1,850,000	FL

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Updated: Jul 12 2006 8:35AM

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Updated: Jul 12 2006 8:35AM

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Updated: Jul 12 2006 8:35AM

http://www.controller.com/listings/forsale/list.asp?pcid=1213788&etid=1&bcatid=13&se
type=1&amp;guid=E1ED10457D8A4783843FF74613634523&dlr=1

Daily News from Farnborough Air Show 2006

2006-07-21T19:41:00.000Z

CNN International

Airbus ends Farnborough on a high
CNN International - 2 hours ago
FARNBOROUGH, England (CNN) -- Airbus went into the Farnborough Airshow facing a damage limitation exercise amid delays in production to their flagship A380 ...
Airbus Eats Humble Pie at Farnborough BusinessWeek
Farnborough: Boeing just pipped by Airbus in air show sales battle Flight International
Singapore orders Airbus A350s International Herald Tribune
Houston Chronicle - This is Money - all 319 related »

BBC News

FARNBOROUGH Airbus ends air show with 182 orders, commitments ...
Life Style Extra, UK - 1 hour ago
... European aircraft manufacturer Airbus said 12 customers made firm orders and commitments for 182 aircraft worth 21.5 bln usd at this week's Farnborough Air Show ...
Farnborough: Orders for 90 Airbuses at air show narrow Boeing's ... Flight International
Airbus announces orders for 29 jets Seattle Post Intelligencer
Boeing employees to get $5,231 bonuses Seattle Times
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FARNBOROUGH Airbus wins order for 20 A320 jets from German carrier ...
Life Style Extra, UK - 7 hours ago
... the former Soviet Union, primarily on behalf of tour operators. The order was unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show here in the UK.
Farnborough: Germany's Blue Wings to take 20 Airbus A320s, A321s ... Flight International
Airbus Wins Commitment From Blue Wings for 20 A320s (Update3) Bloomberg
Blue Wing orders 20 Airbus A320 family jets Reuters
Bloomberg - Hemscott - all 8 related »

Farnborough: RAF selects Litening 3 laser designator pod for ...
Flight International - 4 hours ago
By Jon Lake in Farnborough. The Eurofighter programme took a major step forward yesterday with agreement to integrate the Litening ...
COMUNICADO: Eurofighter Typhoon Capability Soars Ahead With Latest ... Europa Press
Eurofighter Typhoon capability soars ahead with latest contract FinanzNachrichten.de
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Farnborough: SIA shocks the air show by ordering 20 Airbus A350s ...
Flight International - 9 hours ago
By David Kaminski-Morrow in Farnborough. Singapore Airlines has signed a letter of intent to purchase 20 Airbus A350 XWBs and a further nine A380 aircraft. ...

Farnborough: MD's ‘sham’ claims stall work on EADS UH-145 LUH ...
Flight International - 9 hours ago
By Paul Derby in Farnborough. The US Army’s Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) contract, awarded to EADS North America last month, has ...

Daily News from Farnborough
ATWOnline, MD - 14 hours ago
Airbus had to postpone the announcement at Farnborough for a day, but on Thursday it was able to secure an expected order for 20 A320s from Wizz Air for ...
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Visual effects company advances into UAV defence market at ...
UVOnline.com, UK - 12 hours ago
... Showcasing its capabilities at the world-famous Farnborough Air Show this week (Hall 4, Stand B3), 2d3 – which has developed technology responsible for the ...

Invasion of drones hits air show
Reuters.uk, UK - 4 hours ago
... Correspondent. FARNBOROUGH (Reuters) - An invasion of drones struck commuter town Farnborough this week as Boeing Co. and ...
Invasion of killer drones hits UK town air show Reuters
Invasion of killer drones hits UK town air show Reuters India
Killer drones hits UK town air show Daily News & Analysis
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HAL, only Indian aircraft at Farnborough air show
Moneycontrol.com, India - 14 hours ago
... world, reports CNBC-TV18. They participated in an air display at the Farnborough air show in Britain. Dhruv, the advanced light ...

California Satellite Pirate Operation Busted

2006-07-21T19:35:00.000Z

California Satellite Pirate Operation Busted
TV Technology, VA
EchoStar Communications Corp. and NagraStar announced on July 19 that a California satellite pirate had pleaded guilty to theft of satellite signals and trade secrets, both felony offenses.

Date posted: 2006-07-21

California Satellite Pirate Operation Busted

EchoStar Communications Corp. and NagraStar announced on July 19 that a California satellite pirate had pleaded guilty to theft of satellite signals and trade secrets, both felony offenses.

Alexander Gluzman, a resident of the San Fernando Valley, admitted to distributing Dish Network satellite services and equipment throughout the United States and Canada. He was found in possession of devices used for unauthorized signal decryption and is expected to be arraigned on the charges on July 31 in a Los Angeles court. He faces a prison term of 15 years and a fine of more than $750,000 in addition to restitution.

The arrest came as the result of an extensive surveillance operation by EchoStar and NagraStar. Gluzman's activities were initially monitored in 2005 and evidence was produced that lead to an FBI search and seizure action on March 6, 2006.

Gluzman also admitted to obtaining and unlawfully distribution trade secrets and proprietary information from the satellite service provider.

The EchoStar and NagraStar investigation leading to the arrest of Gluzman is part of a widespread program to crack down on satellite service piracy operations.

Raytheon receives $75 million satellite communications contract

2006-07-21T06:41:00.000Z

uly 20, 2006

Raytheon receives $75 million satellite communications contract

MCKINNEY, Texas -- With its significant number of satellite communication (SATCOM) systems installed throughout the Navy's fleet, Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded a five-year, $75 million contract for ongoing mission support for more than 300 of these systems.

As part of the contract, Raytheon will have responsibility for maintaining and upgrading the SATCOM terminals and keeping them in service throughout their life. Raytheon, with responsibility for both below deck electronics and above deck antennas, has fielded and installed more than 500 Navy SATCOM systems during the last 20 years.

The company's mission support services include maintaining and upgrading software and hardware components, providing technology upgrades as needed and delivering field service support.

According to Jerry Powlen, vice president, Integrated Communications Systems, the Navy chose to extend the service life of many of these systems -- some of which are more than 20 years old -- because of their performance and reliability and Raytheon's mission support services to date.

"As it transitions to the Navy Multi-band Terminal, our customer is continuing to support and expand Raytheon's existing Navy SATCOM solutions," added Powlen. "We designed and manufactured these systems and have the domain knowledge to ensure they perform well into the next decade."

Global Satellite for Oil and Gas Over Africa Investment

2006-07-21T06:36:00.000Z

Global Satellite for Oil and Gas Over Africa Investment
PR Inside (Pressemitteilung), Austria - 10 hours ago
2006-07-20 21:52:09 - Global Satellite for Oil and Gas Over Africa Investment- LCE International Inc, have engaged the African United States Chamber of Commerce to promote trade of oil for 53 countries in Africa.

Finance

Global Satellite for Oil and Gas Over Africa Investment


CEO of LCE International, INC and www.4-Platinum.com, Dennis Matthews.

2006-07-20 21:52:09 - Global Satellite for Oil and Gas Over Africa Investment- LCE International Inc, have engaged the African United States Chamber of Commerce to promote trade of oil for 53 countries in Africa. Overall goal is to stop the spread of Aids using Video Conferencing for Telehealth, Telemedicine, Poverty, Human Rights and Peace. This would help to fight these problems with engagement of the United Nation's Millenium goals. LCE International Inc, is a California based company under the direction of Dennis Matthews, who controls LCE as a Black-Owned service Disabled Veteran Business. He has also launced a new company by the name of www.4-Platinum.com and the goal is to cut 50% of the Entertainment Business, by using Live Streaming Video, downloads of Music, Dvds, Animation, New Artists and Star Search. 10% of all revenue generated will be donated to United Nations Association in Pasadena, CA. USA, to fight for the goals of the Millenium, which is the same goals of LCE International, Inc to fight the spread of Aids, Human Rights, Poverty and Peace. See attached Letter from United States African Chamber of Commerce, Africa.

Board of Directors
Chairman of the Board The Africa-USA
International Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Hon. Judge Thomas M. Crehan
Federal Judge (Retired)
President
Dr. Reuben Jaja
BFIGroup Corporation
Treasurer
Mr. Saeed M. Samater
International Affordable Housing
Directors
Dr. Ade Adelekan, FACP
James Burks
African Marketplace
Ms. Mary Burleigh
Burleigh Designer Fashions
Mr. Ronald D. Chatman
Rolar Development

/> Ms. Maria Deslierres
International Business Advisor
Mr. Kitaw Ejigu
Boeing Corporation
Mr. Trond Flagstad
Mr. Harold Hambrick
Los Angeles Black Business Expo & Trade Show
Alphonso Hamilton
Freedom Journal
Dr. Arthur Henry
Ms. Anita Jones
Prof. Edmund Keller
University of California, Los Angeles
Don Kinsey
Comerica Bank
Dr. Deborah LeBlanc
National University
Mr. Chiki Nwasike
Dr. William Releford
Global Integrated Development Group
Mr. Frank Scherer
Sir WorldWide
Dr. Richard Sherman
Sustainable Housing Development
Mr. Richard Soyombo
Center for International Trade & Development
Mr. Jan Sundberg, Esq.
LKS Attorneys at Law
Dr. Ralph Thompson
Mr. Alex Weil
Weil Engineering
Mr. Torre Wessel-Daae
Director Emeritus
Dr. Boniface I. Obichere
BONAMA International Investments
Staff
Executive Director
Al Washington
Supporting Organizations
U.S. Department of Commerce
Los Angeles Black Business Assoc.
United African Federation

July 16, 2006

Dennis Matthews, CEO
LCE International, Inc.
9800 La Cienega Blvd., Suite 904
Inglewood, CA.

Dear Dennis:

The Africa-USA Chamber of Commerce & Industry (AfUSA) is interested in discussing the possibility for establishing a collaborative working relationship with your company for the purpose of furthering our mutual interest in promoting and facilitating the economic development of the African continent. Your company's telecommunications program provides an opportunity to expand our ongoing efforts to promote and facilitate bilateral Africa-US trade through the following activities:

Seminars & Conferences in Los Angeles and Africa that provide education and training regarding US-Africa trade opportunities and challenges, trade financing and risk reduction, and guidelines for obtaining procurement opportunities and financing. Additionally, it is our understanding that LCE International, Inc is currently interested in supporting this effort by creating an infrastructure network for Oil and Gas via satellite communication using videoconferencing for meetings over Africa to create trade of Oil and Gas from USA based companies within the United Sates of America to the 53 nation states of Africa by 2006.
African Leadership & Delegation Forums for African business leaders and government officials seeking international trade opportunities with American businesses in collaboration with the US State Department and the Department of Commerce.
Networking Meetings that provide valuable information regarding the economic advantages of the African Growth & Opportunities Act (AGOA) for African and American businesses along with the financial, administrative, legal and cultural aspects of international trade with Africa.
Consultative Meetings with innovative international banking management and export-import fraud examination firms. Publicizing and Conducting African Trade Missions to the nation states of Africa in collaboration with African Embassies and Consulates and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

(AfUSA) is a non-profit, mutual benefit, business organization established to promote trade, commerce, educational, and cultural development between the people and business enterprises of the United States of America and the nation states in Africa.
We actuate our mission through bilateral trade promotion programs that:
 Contribute to the development of Africa-USA business opportunities
 Encourage and facilitate mutual Africa - USA business investment
 Promote economic, cultural and human resource development.
 Correct the commercial misunderstandings of Africa
 Recruit minority and women owned small and medium-sized businesses to stimulate Africa-USA bilateral trade opportunities,
 Broaden the existing trade finance infrastructure for Africa-USA international trade transactions, and
 Generating federal and state interest and expenditures directly related to Africa-USA bilateral trade promotion.

During my tenure as AfUSA's Executive Director I have lead trade missions to Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Ethiopia. Each mission has served to expose African-America small business owners to business investment opportunities in each nation state we visited. We also exposed continental African's in each nation to opportunities to enter into joint venture business activities that have resulted in the establishment of a housing development project in Uganda, a textile manufacturing syndicate currently headquartered in Ghana, and a major aluminum smelting plant acquisition project in Nigeria. We have conducted three conferences and trade pavilions in collaboration with the City of Inglewood and the Los Angeles Black Business Expo and Trade Show (BBX) and are currently planning our fourth in collaboration with BBX and UCLA. We have also hosted U.S. State department delegations from Africa seeking investment opportunities in the US and African dignitaries which have included Ministers of Trade from Ghana, the Vice President of Uganda and the wife of the Vice President of Nigeria.
A consistent theme we have encountered has been the need to provide trade and not aid to promote and facilitate Africa's economic development. Economic development partnership and investment discussions with African public and private sector business representatives have focused on business and investment opportunities in Agriculture, Textiles and Apparel, Education, Health Care, Oil & Gas, Environmental Protection, Mining, Tourism, Water & Power, and Telecommunications. Discussions have highlighted the need for both infrastructure development and local empowerment of local small business enterprises.

The African Union's current focus on establishing a functioning bilateral communications network between the African continent and the African Diaspora can provide ongoing opportunities for communication exchanges, technology transfers, and related training and education. AfUSA is interested in collaborating with LCE International, Inc. to establish this network using conferences and state of the art teleconferencing technology supported by strategically planned trade missions to develop socio-economic models in key African nations for each of the industry sectors listed above.

We are interested in continuing our discussion with you soon to explore how we can collaborate to pursue our mutual interests and look forward to meeting with you soon.

Sincerely,

Al Washington
Executive Director
Cc: AfUSA Board of Directors Contact information:
LCE International, INC
Contact person:
Dennis Matthews
CEO
Phone: 323 346 9941
E-mail: e-mail
Web: http://www.LCE-I.com and www.4-Platinum.com
Press information:
LCE International, INC
Contact person:
Dennis Matthews
CEO
Phone: 323 346 9941
E-mail: e-mail
Web: http://www.LCE-I.com and www.4-Platinum.com

Inmarsat BGAN satellite service to offer simultaneous voice and data

2006-07-18T22:03:00.000Z

BGAN satellite service to offer simultaneous voice and
data
HNS 9201 BGAN terminal

Network connects corporate users to e-mail, Web at 492
Kbps per device
7/18/2006 4:50:00 PM by Sarah Lysecki

A U.K.-based company has launched its mobile broadband
satellite service to North and South America, allowing
the use of data and voice simultaneously almost
anywhere in the world.

Powered by Inmarsat, the Broadband Global Area Network
(BGAN) uses Inmarsat-4 (I-4) satellites, which are in
orbit over Brazil and the Indian Ocean. BGAN is
accessible across 85 per cent of the worlds landmass
and to 98 per cent of the population. The service
allows mobile users to connect to corporate networks,
e-mail and the Internet at speeds of up to 492 Kbps
per device and make telephone calls at the same time.
This is the first mobile communication service of any
kind to do so, said Drew Brandy, business development
manager at Inmarsat in a Webcast of the announcement.
(BGAN) lets you set up a broadband office in
minutes.
Inmarsat has been working with customers over the past
18 months on a beta test project for the BGAN network.
Customer verticals include the media, military, oil
and gas and aid. CNN, BBC and CBC are currently using
BGAN. The Globe and Mail is a BGAN rental customer of
Roadpost, which provides the satellite service.
Inmarsat is also looking at adapting its solution to
other sectors including construction, insurance,
retail, finance and civil government.
This level of availability will help businesses
address what Wesley Robb, product manager for
Roadpost, a satellite service provider, says is the
number one issue for remote workers -- coverage.
Users require connectivity when and where they need
it, he said.
The network can also be redeployed in real-time to
areas of high service demand. Another key issue for
remote workers is portability, said Robb.
Globalization means that individuals are traveling
across the country or around the world from one day to
the next, he said. They need a solution that they
can bring with them when they travel.
In the past, Robb said high bandwidth satellite
equipment was bulky or sent prior or after users had
arrived and couldnt be moved from one location to the
next easily.
Users can choose from three terminals: WorldPro 1000,
Explorer 600 and HNS 9201, which can be connected to
their devices via cable, Ethernet or Bluetooth
wireless. To access the network, users can download
Inmarsats software tool that provides a graphical
interface from which they can choose what function
they want.
Many remote workers are using these devices in rugged
environments and in countries where terrestrial
networks are unreliable, making reliability of the
network another key issue, said Robb. Other parts of
the globe such as Central America, Africa and Western
Europe dont have the same infrastructure as North
America. Remote areas in North America are often
operating on antiquated technology.
To ensure reliability, the satellite looks for other
channels when it reaches 80 per cent capacity, said
Brandy.
The system prevents voice and data services from
contending with one another for capacity, he said.
Comment: info@itbusiness.ca

http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/home/News.asp?id=40084&cid=4

Raytheon Gets $75M Satellite Contract

2006-07-15T04:05:00.000Z

July 13, 2006, 10:23AM
Raytheon Gets $75M Satellite Contract

NEW YORK — Military contractor Raytheon Co. on Thursday said it received a five-year, $75 million contract to provide support services for the U.S. Navy 300 satellite communications (SATCOM) systems.

Raytheon will service and maintain base terminals, above-deck antennae and below-deck electronics on the fleet after the Navy decided to extend the service time for many of the systems, some of which are more than 20 years old.

Separately, the company said it received a a $38 million Air Force contract to provide receivers for the military's next generation global positioning system.

The award is from the Global Positioning System Joint Program Office at the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center under its Modernized User Equipment program.

Raytheon said it could also get a follow-on contract to develop and make receiver cards for test and integration in the host systems.

The new GPS navigation will become available as NAVSTAR GPS satellites are upgraded. The system currently uses 24 satellites to provide global positioning to military and civilian users.

Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems unit will handle the contract. The division had 2005 revenue of $4.2 billion.

Raytheon shares fell 17 cents to $43.96 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

Morgan Stanley Keeps BSkyB At Equalweight

2006-07-15T03:00:00.000Z

Morgan Stanley Keeps BSkyB At Equalweight

Friday, July 14, 2006 5:13:42 AM ET
Dow Jones Newswires

0753 GMT [Dow Jones] Morgan Stanley retains equalweight rating on BSkyB (BSY.LN) and 502p price target ahead of scheduled launch date for the broadband operation Easynet with announcement of the details on its consumer proposition. "We expect BSkyB to price aggressively against existing players, to market the service intensively to gain a large subscriber base quickly and to offer bundled packages to encourage the 47% of Sky pay TV subscribers who already have broadband to convert." Shares -0.3% at 539.50p. (LEV)


Contact us in London.
+44-20-7842-9464
Markettalk.eu@dowjones.com

Giant Maize Maze: A British fan of the cult TV show "Star Trek" has boldly gone

2006-07-15T02:58:00.000Z

An undated handout image released July 14, 2006, shows a 32-acre maze dedicated to cult TV show "Star Trek" on a English farm near York in northern England. Tom Pearcy used satellite technology to help him design the huge maze at his farm to celebrate 40 years since the airing of the first episode of the show, which starred William Shatner as Captain James Kirk. REUTERS/Kippa Matthews/Handout

It's a maze Jim, but not as we know it

Fri Jul 14, 2006 6:17am ET

LONDON (Reuters) - A British fan of the cult TV show "Star Trek" has boldly gone where no man has gone before and created a giant maize maze dedicated to the program.

Trekkie Tom Pearcy used satellite technology to help him cut the maze in the corn field at his farm near York, northern England, to celebrate 40 years since the show's first episode.

The maze, whose design includes images of character Mr Spock and the USS Enterprise spaceship, used 1.5 million maize plants and claims to be the biggest of its kind in the world.

ITU And Thuraya Forge Partnership for Portable Satellite

2006-07-13T20:45:00.000Z

ITU And Thuraya Forge Partnership for Portable Satellite ...
AllAfrica.com, Washington -
The International Telecommunication Union and Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company have concluded an agreement to provide portable satellite terminals to assist countries in disaster mitigation and relief.
ITU satellite phone deal for disaster relief Silicon.com
UN mobilizes portable satellite phones for disaster relief noticias.info
ITU, Thuraya team up for noble cause Peninsula On-line
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Story URL: http://networks.silicon.com/telecoms/0,39024659,39160232,00.htm

ITU satellite phone deal for disaster relief
Thuraya to supply in emergency cases

By Tony Hallett

Published: Tuesday 11 July 2006

Satellite phone company Thuraya has struck a deal with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for the supply of handsets when major disasters strike around the world.

Events such as the Asian tsunami at the end of 2004, the Kashmir earthquake and even Hurricane Katrina have shown how terrestrial communications links are hit hard in the first hours - around the time such services are needed most.

The Thuraya handsets are topped up via solar chargers. They support voice and data communications, as well as location tracking using GPS. Training for government officials will be supplied.

The ITU is a division of the United Nations. A statement said "multi-stakeholder partnerships", such as this one with Thuraya, are the key to success.

Thuraya is headquartered in the United Arab Emirates but its phones can be used from huge swathes of the Earth's surface, at sea and other areas away from cellular and other terrestrial wireless networks.

Global Giant Intelsat Buys Media-Rich PanAmSat By Linda Moss, STAFF

2006-07-13T20:44:00.000Z

Global Giant Intelsat Buys Media-Rich PanAmSat By Linda Moss, STAFF

(Multichannel News) _ Intelsat Ltd. gained video-market expertise and a roster of media-giant customers through last week's $3.2 billion purchase of PanAmSat Holding Corp., a merger that has created the industry's biggest global satellite company.

PanAmSat's expertise and customer base has been on the video side, with a client roster of major cable programmers. By contrast, Intelsat's forte has been in telephony, data and broadband, with many international and government customers.

"We've always said it's a strong merger between the two, and it makes sense," said Christopher Baugh, president of satellite-business research company NSR.

Video generates 60% to 70% of overall satellite-industry revenue, according to Baugh.
'LITTLE OVERLAP'

When the deal, which closed July 3, was first announced last August, "We talked about how complementary the two businesses are, and now that I can go through the customers lists, I see there's very little overlap," Intelsat CEO David McGlade said. "We can help each other in ways that we didn't think before."

PanAmSat's customers include Comcast Media Center, Discovery Communications Inc., News Corp., Home Box Office, Time Warner Inc. and The Walt Disney Co., while Intelsat's client base includes CBS, Globecast, the British Broadcasting Corp. and Cox Sports.

In the deal that creates a merged fleet of 51 birds, Intelsat acquired all of the outstanding common shares of PanAmSat for about $3.2 billion. The total value of the transaction, including PanAmSat debt that was refinanced or remained outstanding, is about $6.4 billion.

In order to eliminate overlap in functions like back-office services, Intelsat expects to lay off about 400 employees over the next 18 months, according to a company spokeswoman. That would trim the employee roster of the combined companies to roughly 1,000.

With the addition of PanAmSat's video-market expertise and media-customer base to Intelsat's portfolio, the new Intelsat is now the largest provider of fixed-satellite services worldwide to the media, telecom and government sectors. SES Global now ranks second.

The merger will aid Intelsat in a world where convergence is the mandate of the day, according to McGlade.

"Other things we're seeing [are] that everyone wants video, voice and data, even if it's a military customer," he said. "They don't want just command and control in their in-theater operations, they want video so that they can entertain the troops, and they want broadband, so that people can communicate back home. So we're seeing this across the board. Convergence obviously is happening. We're better-positioned to serve it, in terms of the skill sets, in terms of our assets, in terms of the service applications."
CABLE EXPANSION

Through the PanAmSat transaction, Intelsat also is looking to expand its business domestically, with cable networks and cable operators.

"If we look at the programmers, they get the largest fleet in the world, and when they're looking to expand around the globe and also within the U.S., it's great for them: We help with high-def, etc.," McGlade said.

"With the cable operators, it certainly gives them more technological capabilities, like if they're looking to upgrade from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4," he said. "For small operators looking to see how they get their programming, there are a number of ways that we can work with them. Everybody is tight with space in their headend. So we're looking at how we could we work with them, looking at compression, looking at new technologies."

Earlier this year Intelsat launched Ampiage, a satellite-delivered "superheadend" that facilitates quick and less costly upgrades to MPEG-4; it also helps telcos enter the Internet-Protocol TV market.

There are also growth opportunities for Intelsat on the global front, according to McGlade.

"One area we're absolutely focused on is direct-to-home in developing countries," he said. "That's one we're putting a lot of effort into."

He also expects a jump in the distribution of HDTV programming around the world, especially with the 2008 Olympics slated for Beijing.

Then, there is the telephony business.

"There are cellular opportunities in Africa, South America and Asia," McGlade said. "Voice over IP is becoming more and more popular with some of our customers, internationally."

NSR's outlook on the satellite market "is business as usual," according to Baugh, with annual growth estimates ranging from 3% to 8%, depending on the application and the market.

"There is no big application that creates a huge spike in growth, but overall, this market will continue to grow incrementally," he said.

"There are some things that are happening that are positive, the growth of HD [and] the mobile satellite sector overall, which is a very buzzy, hot area right now," including consumer broadband, according to Baugh.

For the 12-month period ended March 31, pro forma revenue for the combined Intelsat-PanAmSat totals more than $2 billion, and adjusted EBITDA for Intelsat on a pro forma combined basis was $1.6 billion.

McGlade's executive team includes James Frownfelter, formerly PanAmSat's president, as chief operating officer, with Joseph Wright, PanAmSat's CEO, appointed chairman.

Copyright The Associated Press 2006. All Rights Reserved

Raytheon Gets $75M Satellite Contract

2006-07-13T20:18:00.000Z

Raytheon Gets $75M Satellite Contract
Houston Chronicle, United States -
NEW YORK - Military contractor Raytheon Co. on Thursday said it received a five-year, $75 million contract to provide support services for the US Navy 300 satellite communications (SATCOM) systems.
Raytheon Gets $75M Satellite Contract MSN Money
Raytheon Receives $75 Million Satellite Communications Contract ... Finanzen.net
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July 13, 2006, 10:23AM
Raytheon Gets $75M Satellite Contract

Separately, the company said it received a a $38 million Air Force contract to provide receivers for the military's next generation global positioning system.

The award is from the Global Positioning System Joint Program Office at the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center under its Modernized User Equipment program.

Raytheon said it could also get a follow-on contract to develop and make receiver cards for test and integration in the host systems.

The new GPS navigation will become available as NAVSTAR GPS satellites are upgraded. The system currently uses 24 satellites to provide global positioning to military and civilian users.

Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems unit will handle the contract. The division had 2005 revenue of $4.2 billion.

Raytheon shares fell 17 cents to $43.96 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

US scientists crack secret codes for EU satellite system

2006-07-13T02:12:00.000Z

US scientists crack secret codes for EU satellite system

(Filed: 11/07/2006)

Secret codes used by the forthcoming European satellite navigation system, Galileo, have been cracked by American scientists, casting doubt on European Union promises that the £2.3 billion project will pay for itself through commercial fees.

Prof Mark Psiaki of Cornell University said that by using a dish on a laboratory roof his team had worked out how to crack codes on data being beamed down by a prototype satellite orbiting Earth.

This has potentially devastating consequences for the European Union which wants to charge high-tech firms "licence fees" to access that same data, before they can make and sell compatible navigation devices to the public.

Cornell's success in deducing the codes just by watching the skies means that future users of Galileo will not have to ask the EU for the codes and may be able to refuse to pay the EU for them, Prof Psiaki said.

Galileo was set up as a European rival to America's military-controlled GPS system, whose signals are free for use worldwide.

Galileo's founders boasted that it would be more accurate than GPS and so people would want to pay to use it.

Galileo is intended to pay for itself by offering several services, from a basic signal for use by the public to highly encrypted signals for governments and armed forces. The EU plans to charge fees to companies making Galileo-compatible navigation devices and commercial users wanting more accurate data, such as shipping lines or road charging schemes.

The European Commission said last night that Cornell's success in cracking codes for the prototype was irrelevant, as final codes for the Galileo system would not only be different, but would be made available by the EU.

But Prof Psiaki said: "Any manufacturer can now figure out the open source access codes for themselves."

Galileo, due to be operational by 2010, is a joint venture between the European Commission, the European Space Agency and private investors including, controversially, an arm of the Chinese state.

TELEGRAPH UK

US university cracks secret EU satellite code
EUobserver.com, Belgium -
A university in the US has cracked the secret codes of the European satellite system Galileo's first satellite in orbit, making it doubtful that the €3.4 billion project will pay for itself through commercial fees as promised by Brussels.
Academics crack Euro GPS satellite PC Pro
Satellite spat: Americans crack European GPS codes Mobilemag.com
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